Encounter 15
On April 19th we had another exciting day filled with several different orca groups, many of them hunting Pacific white-sided dolphin! There was no visible evidence of a successful kill, but that might not have been the primary goal. The pursuit of these dolphins seemed to be a teaching opportunity for the matriarchs to practice hunting techniques with their young. We observed leaping, ramming, tail slapping, and other remarkable behaviors.
In the morning we were with the CA140s, CA40, and CA137, and then, later in the afternoon, we encountered the CA140Bs and CA51s also hunting dolphins! We have included photos of CA40 Xena chasing a Pacific white-sided dolphin and the last photos are of CA140B Louise chasing a dolphin! There are also photos of CA40 and CA137 plus CA140 Emma and her newest offspring!
Photos by Colleen and Daniel Yee
Video by Mike Kauffmann
IDs by California Killer Whale Project