In rare SoCal appearance, orcas show why they’re called ‘killer whales’
Although gray whales, blue whales and humpback whales are commonly spotted off Southern California, orcas are a rare treat.
For a lucky group of whale watchers Monday, a pod of at least 10 of the distinctive black-and-white whales — including two calves — made an appearance off Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Tyler Askari, assistant port captain with Harbor Breeze Cruises, said the tour agency had received reports of possible orcas Monday morning from ferry crews operating between the mainland and Catalina Island. That afternoon, two whale-watching excursions organized by the company spotted the creatures, which were among the first orcas they had recorded in 2023.
“For our general area, it’s been about two years” since orcas were last sighted, Askari said.
Orcas are found in every ocean in the world, though certain populations stick to certain regions. They’re also known as “killer whales” and, true to their name, were seen by one of the whale-watching excursions targeting a bottlenose dolphin.
“It’s a sight to see,” Askari said, “because you kind of see Mother Nature at work.”
Most of the orcas that come through Southern California waters are “transient” orcas, also known as Bigg’s orcas. Askari said, however, the pod seen Monday was probably Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas and hailed from the coast of Mexico.
Their appearance Monday “was when they were going up the coast,” Askari said, adding that subsequent reports indicated the orcas were headed back south.
Though this pod of orcas may no longer be gracing Southern California waters, from now through May, gray whales can be seen as they cross through on their annual migration from Alaska to mate and calve in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. Humpback whales and fin whales are often seen year-round, while blue whales are more common sights during the summer, Askari said.
If you want to catch sight of whales this season, Point Vicente on Palos Verdes Peninsula is a hot spot for the activity. The L.A. chapter of the American Cetacean Society keeps track of the animals spotted from the Rancho Palos Verdes interpretive center. As of Wednesday, five southbound gray whales had been seen since Dec. 1, as well as a megapod of more than 1,500 dolphins. More information here.
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