Orcas – no secret – are amazing animals that constantly leave us in awe, with powerful cognitive abilities and massive brains that house extraordinary intelligence. Sometimes, we can’t help but feel an intense connection and sense of understanding with these amazing black and white mammals that swim through the waters of the Salish Sea. As highly social animals, they remain in very tight-knit family groups, learn constantly from each other, practice cooperative hunting and food-sharing, and communicate with complex clicks, whistles, and calls through echolocation. When we see them swim past our whale-watching vessels, we get the sense that something remarkable is going on.
As I mentioned above, orcas are very loyal to their families and retain their rigid matrilineal social structures throughout their entire life – for the most part. As with most theories and studies in science, there are exceptions. We are captivated by the story of one Southern Resident from L-pod named Onyx (L87). Bornin 1992, Onyx is a fully-grown male at 24 years old, with a massive dorsal fin and pectoral flippers to prove it. Sadly, his mother Olympia (L32) passed away in 2005. Historically, when this happens, a male orca will remain with his closest immediate family members. Onyx did indeed have a sister, two nephews, and a cousin still surviving whom he could have remained with. But he defied the expectations and began to travel with K-Pod (until the eldest female died in 2010), and is now seen cruising around with J-Pod. Has Onyx found a home with whales outside his own pod?
We saw Onyx on our trip yesterday on M/V Sea Hawk, swimming with J-2, Granny, south from Turn Point and just north of Henry Island. We can only speculate what he’s up to, but he appears to be right at home amongst the friendly J-pod members. Orcas social behaviors can sometimes be as unpredictable and complex as human behavior, but it sure is interesting for us to observe and wonder what goes through their minds. Maybe one day we’ll have a better understanding, but for now, it’s nice to be wrapped up in the mystery of it all.
See you later, Onyx, and we hope to see you on another trip soon!