Those Damn Killer Whales!
By Lloyd Edwards

1. News

Yes, ok I know that they are everyone’s favourites, but whew, they are indeed merciless killers believe me. I have witnessed their predations first hand. Not a pretty sight for the faint hearted, but a vital part of nature for a top predator!

On our 2nd last cruise for the year on 20th December, we were lucky enough to witness two humpback cow and calf pairs breaching and tail slapping along the Port Elizabeth Beachfront. Armed with my new Nikon Z9 mirrorless, I managed to get some great images with the beachfront nice and sharp in the background. While editing my photos, I took a closer look and noticed something interesting.

In the first photo of a cow and two calves, you will see two massive pieces of flesh missing on the port front upper side of the cow’s body. What do you think was responsible for these scars, animal or something man-made?

In the next two images, teeth bite marks on the tail flukes as a result of a killer whale attack can be clearly seen. There is no doubt about that. In the fourth image, a piece of the pectoral fin is also missing, corresponding to the shape and size of a killer whale’s mouth and teeth. Again, no doubt unless it was a Megalodon! These pectoral flippers, which are the largest appendage of any animal, are used very effectively when warding off killer whale attacks. Usually, large pods of up to 12 killer whales will work together to tire out a whale and eventually drown it, only eating the tongue, but if they are hungry, will consume most of it.

I posted these images on our killer whale project group and the consensus was that the scars were probably an old killer whale injury from when it was smaller. Then the scars and injury would stretch out as it grew.

We have video footage of two killer whale attacks on sub adult humpback whales from last year, one of which was fatal. Recently we have witnessed more and more scars from killer whale attacks on humpback whales. Maybe this is because the killer whale population has increased after the Durban Whaling Station stopped hunting killer whales in 1976 .

Although the killer whales have recovered, and also the local Humpback population is back to the pre-whaling numbers of around 14 400, they still face many threats like ship strikes, over fishing, entanglements in fishing gear and plastic pollution.

In the last photo I wanted to show you my daily routine . . . walking dogs and picking up litter from the 2km of beach in front of my house in Seaview. You don’t always need to join a beach cleanup or go and save the world in some big organization You can make a difference every single day with small actions and consumer choice.

Humpback cow showing massive injuries with two calves in tow. Taken with a Nikon Z9 mirrowless, 1/1250th second, f/13, ISO 900, Nikkor Z 70 to 200mm f2.8 lens.

Killer whale teeth marks clearly visible on the tail flukes. The left tip has been bitten off. The Nelson Mandela University buildings in the background.

A backwards tail slap again showing evidence of a failed killer whale attack.

The bite size piece missing out of the humpback's pectoral flipper. The port control tower in the background. 

The pile of plastic picked up on my beach over the last few months.