Earlier this week, on 22.08.An extremely rare sighting of orcas and humpback whales was reported near the Farallon Islands. The orcas were observed chasing a group of humpback whales, which was shocking to the biologists who observed the encounter.
The scientists reported that they 15 killer whalesAlso called killer whales, the humpback whales hunt from about 8:00 a.m. until well into the afternoon. It is extremely rare to see orcas hunting humpback whales, as biologist Jim Tietz described to the SF Chronicle, explaining that in his over 20 years In his work around the Farallon Islands, he had never witnessed such an attack before this week.
The encounter was captured on video by researchers at Point Blue Conservation Science. While orcas attacking humpback whales is very rare, it is not unusual for an orca to attack other prey. Orcas are known to varied dietwhich normally feed on fish and seals. Orca pods hunt in groups, as seen with humpback whales in the Farallones. As apex predators, orcas are also the only known predators of the infamous great white sharks.
The Farallon Islands are located about 30 miles west of San Francisco and are known for the diverse marine life in the surrounding waters. The islands also offer limited opportunities to dive with great white sharks, which are common in this area. The islands are home to seabirds and thousands of seals and sea lions. The area is not open to the public; Researchers are the only people allowed to stay on the island.
While you can't visit the island itself, you can check out a live webcam from a lighthouse on the California Academy of Sciences website and see some of the amazing marine life in real time. For more information on the Farallon Islands Wildlife Refuge, visit the US Fish and Wildlife page.
