Orca - Blackfish
New Zealand orca in Kaikōura
Orca are one of the species known as “blackfish” along with others such as pilot whales and false killer whales.
Who does not love orca? Out of all the whales and dolphins I am sure many would agree that the orca is one of, if not, the top species to encounter! They are truly special and can be found in all oceans around the world. They are different eco-types of orca in different parts of the world. They feed on different prey and they specialize in what is available in the different areas that they are in. The orca that are found in New Zealand have a very special diet. They feed mainly on stingrays and sharks! You might sometimes see them feeding on various species of fish and on the odd occasion, even dolphins although this is super rare.
Male orca
Feeding frenzy with albatross, petrels and shearwaters
If you were to turn a shark/ray upside down they enter a state known as tonic immobility, the orca have learned this and have developed a great feeding technique. They tend to swim upside down as they approach a stingray, pick said stingray up from behind and flip it upside down! It is now an easy catch which they can share with the rest of the family. I have mainly observed orca feeding on sharks in Kaikōura and they use their massive tail to slap onto the shark in order to stun it. It is an impressive thing to witness!
Orca will always be one of the top species for me to encounter here. As they often feed on stingrays they tend to be very coastal and you can often see them from shore. You never know what they might get up to! Sometimes they simply cruise past and you only see them for a short time and sometimes they stay in the area for hours while feeding. I have been very lucky to have countless encounters with them in Kaikōura but I will never ever get enough of viewing these incredible animals. Only a few days ago we got to witness a small pod as they were feeding and milling off the coastline for hours.
Many whales and dolphins can be identified by some distinguished features on their bodies. That includes orca. The shape of the dorsal fin with nicks and notches along the fin and the shape and position of the saddle patch is unique to each individual. Like us humans having finger prints, they have their own unique fin! The orcas pictured below are known as Nicky and Niko. Nicky is a female who has a large nick at the back of her dorsal fin and she is often seen travelling with one or two males who are both presumed to be her sons. On this day, she was travelling with Niko who has two distinct, small nicks at the back of his dorsal fin.
Did you know that orca live in a matriarchal community? This means that the older female of a pod is the one in charge. That is usually a mother, aunt or even grandmother.
The very first time I saw a pod of orca was in Stø and Andenes which is in the far north of Norway. I went there in the hopes of viewing sperm whales but somehow we ended up viewing orca instead on two occasions! There are two different eco-types of orca there. One feed on mammals whereas the other feed on herring. We came across a large pod of orca who collectively fed on herring and created quite a feeding frenzy. Even a white-tailed sea eagle came to join the party!
Probably the most famous place to encounter orca would be in the Strait of Juan de Fuca which is a body of water between Seattle, USA and Victoria, Canada. Whilst there I saw both resident orca who feed exclusively on salmon and the transient orca who feed on mammals such as seals and porpoises.
Orca in the Strait of Juan de Fuca