Tag: Killer Whales

Exotic orcas ambush dolphins off San Diego in striking new footage

Footage shows killer whales from Mexico cooperating as a unit to catch and kill faster, more agile dolphins.

The owner of a San Diego whale-watching company this week shared extraordinary footage showing Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales preying on dolphins during recent visits from Mexico.

The footage posted below, narrated by Domenic Biagini of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, reveals the graphic manner by which the orcas single out dolphins to kill and share with one another “just as we would at a family dinner.” (Viewer discretion is advised.)

The ETP orcas are more commonly encountered in the Sea of Cortez and elsewhere off Mexico. Their seasonal dolphin-hunting forays into Southern California, however, are becoming legendary.

MORE ORCAS: Watch an orca perform a “headstand” during San Diego sighting

The footage, captured over the past three weeks, opens with a humpback whale and massive fin whale lunge-feeding on anchovies, alongside hundreds of dolphins.

Then come the orcas in a segment that shows one orca blasting a dolphin airborne as the orca also soars perhaps 20 feet high. (Click here if video player does not appear below.)

More complex hunting behavior is revealed via drone footage as Biagini explains: “To overcome the dolphin’s superior speed and agility, the orcas work together as a coordinated unit.”

There’s a kill and a shared meal before a segment that shows a massive dolphin stampede preceding another successful hunt.

Dolphins stampede to escape orcas. Photo: Gone Whale Watching San Diego

“The orcas know that they can’t rely on speed alone to catch the dolphins,” Biagini explains. “But they can use the panic to their advantage, and in the chaos it’s unclear if [the dolphins] even realize what direction is safety and what direction is danger.”

Biagini describes the stampede-and-chase phenomenon as “one of the greatest natural spectacles on earth,” and those who view his footage might be inclined to agree.

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Watch: Orca performs ‘headstand’ during rare San Diego sighting

The Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, more commonly spotted off Mexico, are famously boat friendly.

When Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales visit San Diego waters via Mexico, it’s always exciting for observers.

For starters, the ETPs visit primarily to hunt common dolphins. These predation events, while deadly for dolphins, are acrobatic spectacles that showcase the orcas’ skills as cunning, top-level predators.

But also, ETP orcas are famously boat friendly and seemingly curious about their human admirers.

The accompanying footage, captured Dec. 4 by Capt. Erica Sackrison and deckhand Jess Aubry of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, shows an orca thrilling passengers by performing a “headstand” just feet beyond the vessel’s bow.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDOP0o5JH7v/

“He’s upside down!” one passenger exclaims in the footage, moments before the mammal raises its tail section above water.

Gone Whale Watching San Diego via Instagram:

“Christmas came early for the Gone Whale Watching family yesterday when a few members of the same pod of ETP Killer Whales made yet another memorable visit to San Diego!

“The notoriously boat-friendly orcas constantly interacted with our boats, making it clear they wanted ATTENTION! Us meager whale watchers were only too willing to oblige!”

ETP killer whale sightings off Southern California are rare, but this time of year is when most sightings occur.

Gone Whale Watching San Diego has logged three sightings involving members of the same orca pod over the past three weeks, and is hopeful for more encounters:

“While it is utterly impossible to predict when we’ll see them again, a string of recent sightings can only be taken as a positive omen!”

Watch: Orca launches 20 feet high while pursuing prey off San Diego

Footage from the rare encounter shows the orca “channeling his inner Top Gun” with an acrobatic assault on a common dolphin.

Boaters off San Diego on Saturday witnessed a rarely seen spectacle involving killer whales, or orcas, that are more commonly encountered much farther south in Mexico.

“Who needs SeaWorld when the greatest Orca show in the world is in the WILD!” Domenic Biagini, owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, exclaimed via Instagram.

The accompanying footage, captured by the company’s Erica Sackrison, shows one orca ambushing a dolphin from below, sending the stunned mammal flying while launching at least 20 feet above the surface.

MORE: Orca bats seal 70 feet skyward

The Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas only show up a few times a year off San Diego and it’s almost always to hunt common dolphins, which are abundant off Southern California.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCwdOo2PFTp/

Biagini explained that the day’s excitement began with the sighting of a surface-feeding humpback whale and hundreds of dolphins.

Then, in the distance, dolphins began to stampede in a panic. A crewman noticed a splash from a larger mammal, indicating that a killer whale hunting party was present.

“Our initial thought was that a Humpback had done something surface active; when suddenly the unmistakeable shape of a Killer Whale exploded into the air!” Biagini wrote.

The orca in the footage is a previous visitor nicknamed Top Notch, because of distinctive markings. Biagini joked that Top Notch was “channeling his inner ‘Top Gun’ by rocketing 20-plus feet into the air in pursuit of a common dolphin breakfast.”

The orcas were not encountered Sunday.

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Orca bats seal 70 feet skyward in what remains a ‘punt’ for the ages

The astonishing scene is brought to mind by recent footage showing an orca “punting” a common murre 20 feet into the air.

Earlier this week we shared footage showing an orca “punting” a seabird nearly 20 feet into the air in California’s Monterey Bay.

While impressive, the scene was reminiscent of a more astonishing event documented nine years ago, involving an orca that used its flukes to fling a harbor seal at least 70 feet skyward.

The accompanying images were captured off Port Angeles, Wash., by Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a California-based killer whale researcher.

https://www.facebook.com/alisa.schulmanjaniger/posts/6547668058675012?ref=embed_post

“It’s still the most astounding thing I’ve seen,” Schulman-Janiger, co-founder of the California Killer Whale Project, told FTW Outdoors in 2023. “A momentous moment in my life.”

The event was also captured on video and the footage is posted below. The video description places the height of the seal at 80 feet.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=478672815636888

The male orca belongs to a family scientifically cataloged as the TO69s. The standout punter is TO69C, who was about 20 years old at the time.

The orca shown “punting” the common murre last Saturday is part of a family unit cataloged by the California Killer Whale Project as the CA51As, led by the matriarch, nicknamed Aurora.

Schulman-Janiger said those orcas were honing their skills for when it’s time to hunt seals or sea lions.

“They’re practicing for the pinnipeds when they do this,” she said. “They might smack them with their heads or flukes, but the big thing is to use their flukes to throw them into the air so they’ll be stunned when they come down.”

Orca ‘punts’ seabird 20 feet high in wild scene caught on video

Footage captured in California’s Monterey Bay shows one orca using its flukes to fling a common murre nearly 20 feet skyward.

Orcas that prey on marine mammals sometimes “punt” seals or sea lions high into the air to stun the pinnipeds before meal time.

On Saturday in California’s Monterey Bay, one young orca was caught on video practicing its skills on a large seabird.

The accompanying footage, captured by Evan Brodsky of Monterey Bay Whale Watch, shows the orca using its flukes to launch a common murre nearly 20 feet skyward.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_pMYU6xOcy/

“Killer Whales vs. Common Murres,” Brodsky described via Instagram. “Safe to say the Orca won. Bad Day to be a Murre.”

The killer whales, or orcas, were observed breaching and spyhopping near whale-watching vessels, while some were busy tormenting murres.

“They don’t call them demons from hell for nothing,” Brodsky joked in reference to the orcas, which did not eat any of the murres they harassed.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, co-founder of the California Killer Whale Project, said Brodsky’s footage revealed “a perfect example of the punting behavior.”

The researcher added, “They’re practicing for the pinnipeds when they do this. They might smack them with their heads or flukes, but the big thing is to use their flukes to throw them into the air so they’ll be stunned when they come down.”

The California Killer Whale Project identified the six-member family unit as the CA51As, led by the matriarch, nicknamed Aurora.

Brodsky captured his footage from aboard the Point Sur Clipper. The image atop this post, captured by Capt. Warren Asher of the Sea Wolf II,  shows one of the killer whales breaching next to the Point Sur Clipper.

Rescue dog has plenty to say during rare orca encounter; video

Footage shows the 5-year-old mixed lab/retriever reacting to several Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales swimming near the boat.

A pod of rarely seen orcas was a wonderful source of excitement for a group of San Diego whale watchers last Wednesday. But perhaps the most curious and enthusiastic member of the charter was a rescue dog named Fin.

The accompanying footage, captured by Domenic Biagini of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, shows a tethered Fin gazing intently at the orcas while expressing an apparent desire to leap overboard and greet them personally.

Bigaini imagined via Instagram how Fin might recall the encounter:

“Last week I got to meet the pod of Eastern Tropical Pacific Killer Whales that everyone was talking so much about last winter. As a lifelong HUGE fan of dolphins, it was such a treat to meet the biggest dolphins in the world!”

Fin added: “I told my dad that I wasn’t thrilled being confined to the middle part of the boat by two leashes, but my dad knew that I’d be a sea-puppy without those restraints! I just wanted a sniff!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_YRHT_v6WK/

The orcas were so close that Fin began to bark, but was quickly calmed.

The 5-year-old mixed lab/retriever, found in poor condition near the U.S.-Mexico border, has developed excellent sea legs and eagerly accompanies Biagini on his charters.

Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, most commonly encountered off Mexico, occasionally venture into Southern California waters to hunt dolphins and other marine mammals.

Gone Whale Watching San Diego encountered the ETPs last Wednesday and observed the mammals until sunset as they began to swim back toward Mexico.

Boaters encounter orca hunting party and scene is ‘bananas’

The extraordinary killer whale encounter off California featured an elephant seal kill an ‘orca party’ alongside the boat.

Those on an exploratory cruise to San Miguel Island off Ventura on Wednesday were massively rewarded with the discovery of 15 orcas attacking and feasting on a large elephant seal.

As if that weren’t enough, afterward the sleek and powerful mammals became playful and curious, unleashing an array of acrobatic behaviors as passengers and crew watched in awe.

“Yesterday was absolutely bananas [and] here are some photos to prove it,” Delaney Trowbridge, a Pacific Offshore Expeditions captain, exclaimed Thursday via Instagram. “What followed after the kill could only be described as an ‘orca party’ as they erupted into breaches, spyhops, and tail lobs!”

Photo: ©Delaney Trowbridge

San Miguel Island, 70 miles west of Ventura, Ca., is extremely remote so Trowbridge and co-captain Ryan Lawler were fortunate that the gamble paid off beyond expectations.

“I have been lucky to enjoy many amazing encounters with killer whales in Southern California waters over the years, but this one was an 11 [out of a possible] 10,” Trowbridge stated.

Photo: ©Delaney Trowbridge

The group first encountered a family pod of seven orcas porpoising at high speed.

Lawler, who captured video footage showing a portion of the seal hunt, explained via Instagram that the seven orcas led the group to two other family groups that had surrounded the seal. (See footage below.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QueaIPNCe/

Northern elephant seals can weigh more than 4,000 pounds so a single seal is a blubbery prize for Bigg’s killer whales, which prey almost exclusively on other marine mammals.

Lawler continued: “The seal had no chance as it was surrounded by 15 Killer Whales, and they spent hours holding the seal captive as they bumped and harassed it before finally killing it.”

The orca family groups included the scientifically cataloged CA216Bs, the CA138s, and a portion of the CA27s, according to the California Killer Whale Project.

Photo: ©Delaney Trowbridge

San Miguel Island, a major rookery for seals and sea lions, is not routinely visited by commercial whale-watching companies.

But Pacific Offshore Expeditions has scheduled a series of 8-hour whale-watching excursions and “Killer Whale Quests” within Channel Islands National Park, possibly including San Miguel Island.

Rare orca encounter off San Diego includes ‘rainblow’ surprise

Footage shows one of the killer whales swimming to within feet of the boat and greeting passengers with a “rainblow.”

A rare orca encounter Wednesday off San Diego was made extra special when one of the mammals swam to the boat and provided an enchanting moment.

“As if seeing this beautiful animal in the wild wasn’t enough, it also gifted us with a beautiful rainbow!” Domenic Biagini, owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, exclaimed via Instagram.

The accompanying footage shows the orca’s close approach – and features  Biagini’s exuberant narration – and its “rainblow” greeting.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_Qd676JbeC/

Biagini and crew, acting on tips from nature and local sportfishing captains, located more than 10 Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, or orcas, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

ETP orcas are commonly encountered in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez but occasionally venture into U.S. waters to hunt dolphins and other marine mammals.

Biagini explained the tip he received from seabirds:

“Our initial exploration found a lot of interesting wildlife, but what stood out to us the most was the number of Black-Footed Albatross we were seeing much closer to shore than usual.

“Those Albatross are often a harbinger of larger predators being around like False Killer Whales, sharks, and especially Orcas!”

Biagini promised “more to come from this incredible day” as the ETP watch is in full swing after the encounter.

The orcas were headed south as Biagini returned to port, but that does not mean that they will not resurface off San Diego or elsewhere in Southern California in the coming days.

Orcas try to kill ‘massive’ gray whale off San Diego; video

The killer whales “assaulted” the adult gray whale for nearly an hour in rarely documented behavior.

Killer whales from Mexico continue to thrill Southern California boaters while preying on dolphins and milling near vessels.

But on Friday off San Diego, a pod of Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales was documented attacking an adult gray whale in a rarely seen predation attempt that lasted nearly an hour.

The accompanying footage was captured by Capt. Ryan Lawler of Pacific Offshore Expeditions. While the footage is graphic, the gray whale proved too large for the orcas and ultimately continued its migration toward Baja California nursing and mating grounds.

Delaney Trowbridge, also a Pacific Offshore Expeditions captain, described the encounter via Instagram, beginning her post, “Bloodied and bruised, but not broken.”

Trowbridge’s report included an image of the gray whale’s fluke with fresh bite wounds.

She added: “Over the last few weeks we’ve watched the Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales plow their way through pods of common and bottlenose dolphins, but today their eyes were set on a much larger prize: a massive, adult gray whale.

“Despite their best efforts, lasting nearly an hour in their assault, the orcas abandoned their hunt and moved on.”

Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, fairly common in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, are considered rare visitors to Southern California. But that designation might no longer apply.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger of the California Killer Whale Project told FTW Outdoors that the ETPs have been documented off Southern California 18 different days since last Dec. 11.

While their presence is exciting for marine mammal enthusiasts, not everybody is pleased to see them linger for so long.

Reads one comment beneath Trowbridge’s post: “God Bless this Whale and any others tortured by these Orcas. They seem to be on a serious killing spree off of California and they typically don’t stay this long. This leads to many other concerns.”

Transient killer whales, commonly encountered in Monterey Bay, also visit Southern California sporadically.

Transients also prey on other marine mammals, including gray whale calves that pass through Monterey Bay with their mothers during the northbound migration to Alaska.

‘Intense’ moments as orcas attack sea lions next to small boat

Capt. Delaney Trowbridge said afterward that it was “likely the closest I’ll ever feel to being ‘hunted’ by an orca myself.”

Of the many orca encounters enjoyed by boaters off Southern California last week, perhaps the most thrilling spectacle involved killer whales hunting sea lions next to a small boat.

The accompanying footage, shared Sunday by Capt. Delaney Trowbridge of Pacific Offshore Expeditions, shows transient orcas methodically attacking sea lions that attempted to use her boat as cover.

While viewers don’t witness a kill, Trowbridge assured in her Instagram description, “The orcas were successful in their hunt.”

Her footage, captured near Anacapa Island off Ventura County, shows the agile orcas repeatedly passing and swiping at sea lions with their flukes, at times spraying passengers.

Trowbridge described the stirring exhibition:

“One of the most exhilarating encounters I’ve ever had happened just the other day, when a desperate pair of sea lions tried using our boat to shelter themselves from a hungry pod of killer whales (CA140Bs). One of the most amazing things about orcas is their unparalleled problem-solving skills that make them such effective predators.

“The whales made sure to capitalize on every opportunity [when] the sea lions strayed too far from their cover, slowly whittling down their prey. It was incredibly intense to be in the middle of this deadly game of cat and mouse; likely the closest I’ll ever feel to being ‘hunted’ by an orca myself.”

Transient killer whales are more commonly spotted off Central California and points north. Encounters off Southern California are rare.

The encounter with the transient pod occurred just after Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, infrequent visitors from Mexico, had spent days hunting dolphins between San Diego and Los Angeles.

–Top image, captured by Delaney Trowbridge, shows transient orcas beneath the surface near Anacapa Island