A Magical Swim with Orcas
This lady had a black wetsuit on and was conscious that she looked like a seal. However, the orcas must have sensed that she was something quite different. Orcas eat both sea lions and seals (as well as sharks and rays) but they made no attempt to eat this human swimmer. Her whale companions looked like an adult, a juvenile, and a calf. One got so close that their nose was practically touching her toes at one point. The footage of swimmer Judie Johnson was shot in New Zealand at a location where she swims every day. On this occasion, her swimming companions had not turned up so she was swimming alone. She noticed a shape beneath her and was excited to think that she would be swimming with dolphins but then she saw the distinctive white markings and realized they were orcas. Amazingly, an Australian tourist was also at the beach and launched his drone so that he could capture the moment from above. The experience was so amazing that Judie decided to re-enter the water for a second swim and, incredibly, the orca joined her again! They were all just feet beyond the breakers and actually looked into each other’s eyes. It’s no wonder that she describes it as a life-changing experience and better than winning the lotto!
Wonderful Orcas
Orcas (killer whales) are found in oceans all over the world – including coastal waters. They can live in cold and warm water. Their distinctive appearance makes them instantly recognizable. They have smooth black backs with a large dorsal fin but their bellies are white and they have a white spot behind their eye sockets. These guys are also large! An adult orca can grow to 32 feet in length and weigh up to six tons – that’s the same as three adult giraffes! These whales breathe using their blow hole but can stay under the water for 10 minutes at a time. They are very social and live in pods of up to around 100 whales, but smaller pods are common. Orcas also like to hang out with some lucky humans!
Is this Normal Behavior for an Orca?
There aren’t a lot of records of orca whales attacking humans. The only documented cases involve an orca killing trainers at aquatic parks, and it is thought that these freak instances could be the orca playing and not knowing it’s strength. But in general, experts do not advise swimming with orcas, as it is dangerous for many reasons. for one, they are wild animals, and unpredictable. Whales can spread diseases to humans like bruсеllоѕiѕ, tubеrсulоѕiѕ, and lерtоѕрirоѕiѕ. But humans can also spread bacteria to whales when touching them. A diver swimming with a whale can also cause it stress, making it potentially threatening. So it’s not advisable to knowingly swim with orcas. We’re glad this woman was not harmed.
Next Up:
Are Killer Whales (Orcas) Dangerous?Watch a Huge Whale Majestically Swim With Two Paddle-BoardersWatch: Humpback Whale Saves a Diver from Massive Tiger Shark
