Transient Orca and calf attacking an Auklet

Transient Killer whales or Orca are found off the coast of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, they eat other marine mammals. Unlike their fish eating cousins the resident Killer whales residents are only occasional visitors to the Johnston Strait they are fast and elusive.

These images were taken late afternoon after several family groups of Transient Orca we were watching had been interacting and hunting all day in the Johnston Strait. An adult female Orca caught an Auklet underwater, the family group then appeared to use the bird to teach their calves to hunt. These images are in sequence from just after the Auklet was caught to when the by then exhausted bird disappeared, this behaviour lasted at least 20 minutes.

The images were taken while on a 5 day whale watch trip with Orcella Expeditions owned by Jim and Mary Borrowman. Orcella operates out of Telegraph Cove Vancouver Island. Jim Borrowman is internationally acknowledged as an expert on the whales and other marine mammals around Vancouver Island. Without Jim’s unrivalled knowledge and skill these images would not have been possible.