Stalk a Orca as the stealthy apex predators of Bremer Bay showed off their elite stalking skillset with multiple feasts on squid today. Queen and her family were relaxed and focused on securing breakfast as they spread out over a large area and began to forage. The family members learn from young calves where to find food and how to hunt it as the elders of the family display what years of practicing the same disciplined skillset everyday results in. One after the other today we could see small oil slicks appearing as the family proved successful in locating what appeared to be squid. The prey may only be relatively small but when eaten consistently it is just like snacking for the Orca keeping energy levels consistent and in the longer term their body condition full.
Great conditions with a calm sea and light winds enabled Grace to complete some data collection of the pod members and their body condition. Wonks is growing so fast and over the last two seasons has increased in size dramatically! Still only a teenager we are expecting to see that lovely dorsal fin of his skyrocket over the coming seasons. Stormy has also grown fast as she now looks more adult than calf and her hunting skillset is already developing quickly. Eventually all of the babies in Queens pod will be fundamental members of the hunting team and we are sure today the success of over a dozen squid kills would have taught the calves great lessons.
