Wolves of the sea up close

The ruthless nature of killer whales has been captured on camera off Bremer Bay.

A pod of orcas hunting is a common sight for those onboard with Naturaliste Charters, which runs daily tours to the Bremer Canyon — a marine-life hotspot which has gained international attention.

Naturaliste Charters marine biologist Kirsty Alexander said the start of the fourth year of Bremer Canyon Killer Whale Expeditions had been stunning.

“Over our past four years of operating our expeditions, we have learnt what it takes to provide an incredible experience for our expeditioners but also been able to contribute information to assist efforts to learn more about this incredible deep-water ecosystem,” she said.

Mrs Alexander said although the expeditions started early, the sightings had been terrific.

“We have started our expeditions two weeks early based on our past knowledge and experience, and that decision has paid off with the most incredible week of encounters,” she said.

“We have witnessed three successful hunts, an incredible experience for all onboard where you can really see why they have earned the title of wolves of the sea.”

Mrs Alexander said the peak month had previously been February, but this month was proving exciting. “It has been great in terms of sightings and the full spectrum of behaviour, from the spectacular hunts and confronting kills, to the joy of sighting a calf that we first photographed as a newborn in 2017, happy and healthy, inspiring hope for the future of the killer whales of the Bremer Canyon,” she said.

“We have seen many familiar pods and have also seen some animals we do not recognise.

“There is so much to learn and so much to see.”