Current:Home > BackFour killer whales spotted together in rare sighting in southern New England waters-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Four killer whales spotted together in rare sighting in southern New England waters
View Date:2024-12-23 11:34:31
Scientists spotted four killer whales swimming together off the coast of Massachusetts, the New England Aquarium said Tuesday.
It was a rare sighting; the only killer whale regularly seen in the area is "Old Thom," who's known to swim by himself, according to the aquarium. The pod of killer whales was first spotted by Katherine McKenna, an assistant research scientist.
"Initially I could just see two splashes ahead of the plane," McKenna said in a statement. "As we circled the area, two whales surfaced too quickly to tell what they were. On the third surfacing, we got a nice look and could see the tell-tale coloration before the large dorsal fins broke the surface."
The four killer whales were seen about 40 miles south of Nantucket. There was one adult male, an adult female and two juveniles, Orla O'Brien, an associate research scientist who leads the aerial survey team for the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, said. O'Brien described the experience as unreal.
"I think seeing killer whales is particularly special for us because it unlocks that childhood part of you that wanted to be a marine biologist," O'Brien said.
The New England Aquarium has conducted aerial surveys over the waters south of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket for more than a decade, but it's "always unusual to see killer whales in New England waters," O'Brien said.
While spotting orcas is uncommon, the team spotted nearly 150 whales and dolphins during its seven-hour flight over the ocean, according to the aquarium. There were 23 fin whales, 20 humpback whales, five minke whales and 62 bottlenose dolphins.
Orcas have made headlines lately after several incidents of killer whales seemingly ambushing boats overseas. Currently, no one knows why killer whales have appeared to try to capsize boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal.
Killer whales are the ocean's top predator, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"They often use a coordinated hunting strategy, working as a team like a pack of wolves," the organization notes.
- In:
- Whales
Aliza Chasan is a digital producer at 60 Minutes and CBS News.
TwitterveryGood! (43)
Related
- Oregon's Dan Lanning, Indiana's Curt Cignetti pocket big bonuses after Week 11 wins
- Kentucky judge shot at courthouse, governor says
- Weasley Twins James Phelps and Oliver Phelps Return to Harry Potter Universe in New Series
- California Ballot Asks Voters to Invest in Climate Solutions
- Don't Miss Cameron Diaz's Return to the Big Screen Alongside Jamie Foxx in Back in Action Trailer
- US agency review says Nevada lithium mine can co-exist with endangered flower
- Michael Madsen requests divorce, restraining order from wife DeAnna following his arrest
- Zyn fan Tucker Carlson ditches brand over politics, but campaign finance shows GOP support
- Georgia remains part of College Football Playoff bracket projection despite loss
- A’ja Wilson set records. So did Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. WNBA stats in 2024 were eye-popping
Ranking
- South Carolina does not set a date for the next execution after requests for a holiday pause
- Board approves more non-lethal weapons for UCLA police after Israel-Hamas war protests
- Brewers give 20-year-old Jackson Chourio stroller of non-alcoholic beer for clinch party
- Journalist Olivia Nuzzi Placed on Leave After Alleged Robert F. Kennedy Jr Relationship
- What is prize money for NBA Cup in-season tournament? Players get boost in 2024
- ‘They try to keep people quiet’: An epidemic of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes
- How to Make Your NFL Outfit Stadium Suite-Worthy: Makeup, Nails, and Jewelry
- Titan submersible testimony to enter fourth day after panel hears of malfunction and discord
Recommendation
-
Mike Tyson impresses crowd during workout ahead of Jake Paul fight
-
OPINION: BBC's Mohamed Al-Fayed documentary fails to call human trafficking what it is
-
Seeking to counter China, US awards $3 billion for EV battery production in 14 states
-
Zyn fan Tucker Carlson ditches brand over politics, but campaign finance shows GOP support
-
Taylor Swift gifts 7-year-old '22' hat after promising to meet her when she was a baby
-
JoJo was a teen sensation. At 33, she’s found her voice again
-
California governor signs package of bills giving state more power to enforce housing laws
-
Pro-Palestinian protestor wearing keffiyeh charged with violating New York county’s face mask ban