Orca dorsal fin structure is strong and made up of dense tissue instead of bones or cartilage enabling fantastic stability assistance and thermoregulation. Female Orca will retain a smaller, more curved or falcate shaped dorsal fin while the male Orca as they mature will have a more triangular shaped dorsal fin which can reach almost two meters in height in certain ecotypes. Every dorsal fin has a unique shape and will also retain any scars, nicks or wounds which will heal over time but give a distinctive appearance for that particular individual which is important for our identification work completed onboard every tour.
Our arrival to a large oil slick this morning was also followed by a tall dorsal fin, one that belonged to much loved young male Wonks. He has a little wobble through his dorsal fin and scars from a previous encounter a few years back with other Orca after a travel trip further from the usual hunting grounds. It has healed well overtime but Wonks still carries these distinctive scars and shape to his dorsal fin unique just to him. It was clear to see that Queen and her family pod had been successful in securing a Beaked Whale earlier in the morning. The slick was heavily scented and thick, although older it was a significant slick and we certainly hoped it wasn’t one of the Strap-toothed Beaked Whales we observed in yesterdays pod.
Queen was very relaxed as she rested with her family pod in the calm conditions today. Bellies full of food and after what was likely a travel day yesterday, the family was very content. Rest is a very important element to an Orcas day and they will take little catnaps of twenty minutes or so, this morning that extended for longer as after such a big meal the family had the luxury to rest for a little while longer than usual. Eventually it was time to get back to work though as they began to forage The Patch but covered minimal ground as it appeared that Queen was more than happy to stay close to the area she had success in not long ago. Bellies still full it was a great chance for these Orca to wait for their next meal to come their way and minimise precious energy usage. It was also wonderful to welcome back onboard our beloved Pod Member Valerie to share this special day together as our family enjoyed time with our Orca family.
