The Lone Hunter

This male Bigg's orca has many names. He is "T049C", he is "Janet", and he is "Neilson". Perhaps the most notable thing about him is that he is a lone male. Most male killer whales will live with their mothers for life, or other family if she has passed. This guy chooses to travel alone. In this encounter, we watched him hunt a harbour seal, and celebrate afterword with lots of tail slaps. It fascinates me that this lone whale still shows socialization behaviour after a hunt, even without other whales to socialize with. His powerful tail came down onto the ocean's surface again and again as he celebrated his successful hunt.