A group of about a dozen orcas has been spotted all week from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to Orange County, and whale-watchers said they saw five of the so-called Wednesday morning.
"These are the same ones that we had for the past two days," said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, the head of the California Killer Whale Project. "They ate at least five sea lions off our area, and more off Orange County."
Pete Thomas of Pete Thomas Outdoors believes the orcas are expanding their range into Southern California, possibly taking advantage of an abundant sea lion population.
Video of the killer whales suggests that they are gregarious and boat friendly in nature, making for some great whale watching trips now (see accompanying footage above.)
On the migration front, gray whales continue to make their way from the Bering Sea to the lagoons of Baja California. They have been passing by the Southern California coast in record numbers, entertaining whale watchers and fishermen alike.
Anglers on the Westerly last week were also treated to fin whales lunge feeding off the Huntington Oil Rigs. The out of offers daily whale-watching trips in the local area.
Editor's Note: Thanks to Drew Post and Dana Wharf Whale Watching for the above video footage.
