An orcastrated Plett visit

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A group of orcas made a surprise visit to Plettenberg Bay shores last week, causing a tingle down the spines of scientists.

They were met with considerable excitement as they patrolled the sea for prey on Tuesday 23 February.

Dr Gwen Penry, marine mammal scientist attached to Nelson Mandela University, was especially pleased. She said the sighting was very exciting. "It is because they are so rare," she said.

"In the 20 years or so that I've been working here I've seen them three times. So, they've been here more than that, but I've missed them. It is very difficult to predict when they're going to come in. It was a surprise – a lucky shot to find them."

Orcas are basic predators and amazing hunters and this group was photographed from an Ocean Safaris vessel.

"They work in very tight social groups and work together on big hunts depending on what's available in the habitat. They are opportunistic and can be coastal or occur in off-shore waters along the continental shelf too," said Penry.

"The ones that occur off the SA coastline are called transient [orcas]. There are many around the world. They are resident in Vancouver, Canada as well as Norway."

The orca sighting was very special for those lucky enough to experience it.

She said transient orcas travel long distances and individuals seen off the SA coast are also seen in Namibia.

They are primarily mammal hunters going for dolphins and whales.

"Some might take seals, but we haven't seen that. They're mostly seen taking common dolphins.

"This time of year is the start of the sardine run, so the fish are starting to migrate up the East Coast. With that comes the predators that feed on those sardines like common dolphins and Bryde's whale – and the killer whales will follow suit," she explained.

About three days before the sighting in Plettenberg Bay, the group of orcas was sighted off Gericke's Point near Sedgefield. Earlier, two different groups were sighted in False Bay.

"They're definitely late summer, early autumn visitors along the south coast of SA," said Penry. "The photographs taken by Ocean Safaris will be sent to specialist scientific groups who consolidate all the data in a catalogue of animals sighted along the South African coastline. These photographs have been sent for matching, which takes quite a bit of time."

She believes there is at least one individual that has definitely been seen in Plettenberg Bay before. "I don't particularly think these ones were looking for sharks - more likely dolphin," she added.

The orcas visiting Plettenberg Bay last week had plenty of fun.