Orcas make a rare appearance

WHALE watchers off Port Macquarie were treated to an ocean spectacle when a pod of killer whales surfaced on the weekend.
Owner of Port Macquarie Cruise Adventures John Fowler said the distinctive black and white marine mammals were a rare sight here.

"I've been out here for 14 years and 1100 trips and it's the first time I've ever seen them," he said.

"They follow the hump back whales on their migration north."

The pod of six orcas surfaced while the Discovery whale watching boat and new Gemini jet boat were on a tour on Sunday.

"They just swam over next to the boat and said hello to us," Mr Fowler said.

"I was on the Gemini boat and was standing and the big killer whale was longer than the boat which is 8.5m. His fin was taller than me. It was absolutely huge."

Laurence Orel from National Parks and Wildlife Service said orcas could be found in oceans and seas across the world.

"It's certainly unusual for people to sight them," he said.

"One of their functions, as is the nature of the jungle of the ocean, is they prey on newborn whale calves. They prefer to feed on the tongue and lips."

Mr Orel said while their hunting methods sounded gruesome, it was a positive indication of a healthy ecosystem.

"The hump back whales were almost wiped out in the '70s and their numbers have been slowly increasing ever since," he said.

"It's a good sign that we are starting to see a more natural balance to the system."

The whale watching season started in Port Macquarie about a fortnight ago and will continue until the end of October/ early November.