By Mitchell Clarke
A whale watching cruise off the coast of Phillip Island got more than they bargained for when they spotted two Killer whales.
Killer Whales Australia curator David Donnelly said first reports of the elusive animals near Pyramid Rock on 18 June came from land-based spotters, before guests on the Wildlife Coast Cruises charter were able to witness the spectacle first hand.
Mr Donnelly said the sightings provided “valuable insights” into the lives of the highly mobile and unpredictable predator.
“These sightings are the 139th validated sighting of this species in Victorian waters since 2000,” he said.
“They are highly mobile, making them unpredictable and challenging to study, however, with the help of citizen scientists, the team at Killer Whales Australia has been able to slowly build an understanding of this elusive species along the east coast of Australia.”
Using images supplied by Wildlife Coast Cruises and data from the Australian Killer Whale catalogue, the team concluded this pair was first recorded in 2015, but this spotting marks the first time the animals have been sighted in Victorian waters.
“These two individuals were last sighted in November 2019 off the Tasman Peninsula on the far southeast coast of Tasmania – a swim of at least 630 kilometres,” Mr Donnelly explained.
“The whales are ID’d using physical features which include fin size and shape, the form of the saddle (grey colouration below and behind the dorsal fin) as well as the shape of the eye patch.”
Mr Donnelly said the animal’s current presence is coinciding with the migration of humpback and southern right whales.
He said killer whales were known to work together in well-organised groups to hunt larger whales.
“Interestingly but not surprisingly, these two killer whales have been seen together at every recorded sighting,” he said.
“Close social bonds are crucial for this species survival, as is developing an understanding of their lives to support their protection.”
The public are reminded not to approach whales closer than 200 metres in boats, 300 metres on JetSkis or 30m for paddlers and swimmers.
The Dolphin Research Institute urges people to report their sightings via PodWatch on their website: dolphinresearch.org.au or by calling 1300 130 949.
