The Humpbacks were all around today but something seemed a little bit different as we sighted the same behaviour amongst all pods. Orca (aka Killer Whales) have been sighted along the Western Australian coastline over the last few days and with at least one known pod of Orca who frequents the waters around Rottnest Island we wonder if these apex predators of the ocean have made our migrating Humpbacks a little bit nervous. Currently we have many vulnerable calves travelling south with their mothers and it would seem a perfect time for the Orca to focus their interests on the current migration.
There was a recording of a successful hunt from a large pod of approximately thirty Orca just off the coast of Lancelin in mid October last year and with reoccurring sightings of the Orca following the migration of our Humpback Whales we suspect there might be a bit of activity just off the coast which may be causing the anxious behaviour of over twenty whales today. We are back out again tomorrow and look forward to discovering if the energy level and behaviour are still the same with the current pods visiting the coastline. Mothers especially will be very careful of making minimal noise should there be Orca close by but keeping a low profile with minimal surface time is very unusual for all whales within the resting ground to be following. We had some fantastic views today of the Royal Australian Air Force as they completed drills along the coastline and some very low flybys✈
