SEATTLE (AP) — A pod of orcas swam near shore and amazed onlookers in Seattle by treating the whale watchers to the uncommon sight of the apex predators searching a fowl.
The pod of Bigg’s killer whales visited Elliott Bay and had been seemingly on a hunt underwater simply off Seattle’s maritime industrial docks. The pod exited the bay near the West Seattle neighborhood throughout from downtown, the place folks had been ready to catch sight of them.
Kersti Muul, who runs a WhatsApp whale alert system for the Seattle space referred to as “ Salish Wildlife Watch,” recorded footage because the whales appeared just under a lookout level.
One of many whales was seen capturing a fowl and taking it under water, sparking gasps from onlookers.
It was “a once-in-a-lifetime experience for West Seattle. Not only in the whales’ proximity, but also witnessing a rarely seen behavior – chasing and catching the grebe,” Muul mentioned in a textual content. “My eyes darted back and forth taking in the community’s reactions and the orcas right below our feet, visible underwater.”
Bigg’s killer whales are orcas that normally prey on marine mammals comparable to sea lions or porpoises. They go to the waters off Seattle often and each devoted and informal whale watchers shadow them as they discover. The pod sighted Sunday has ventured into the Seattle waters a number of occasions this previous month.
“It’s definitely a bonding experience for the community,” Muul mentioned. “And my hope is always that these moments inspire awe and awareness of the urban wildlife in our backyards.”