PHOTOS showing the newest addition to a pod of killer whales known to hunt around Scotland’s northernmost islands have been released.
The pictures reportedly show the newest addition to the Northern Isles Community pod, a group most usually seen hunting seals around the north coast of the Scottish mainland, and across Orkney and Shetland.
Some members of the pod have also been documented around Iceland feeding on schooling fish such as Herring.
This sets them apart from their “type 2” cousins who are spotted along the west coast and Western Isles. These, generally larger, Orcas eat other marine mammals such as Porpoise and Minke Whales.
The photos of the newest addition to the Northern Isles Community pod were shared by Hugh Harrop, an author, naturalist, and the founder of Shetland Wildlife.
ANOTHER ORCA CALF! Delighted to watch, and 📷 these Orcas here in #Shetland yesterday and witness another addition to the Northern Isles Community pod - a new calf for matriarch #65. Lovely to also see 'Busta' - the spectacular bull who we've known & photographed for 18 years! pic.twitter.com/286yr2wPSL
— Hugh Harrop Wildlife (@HughHarrop) January 28, 2022
Harrop wrote on Twitter: “ANOTHER ORCA CALF! Delighted to watch, and [photograph] these Orcas here in #Shetland yesterday and witness another addition to the Northern Isles Community pod - a new calf for matriarch #65.”
“Lovely to also see 'Busta' - the spectacular bull who we've known & photographed for 18 years!” he added.
Brilliant to see the 65s group make an appearance off Eshaness, Shetland today! Great photos of presumed matriarch 065 'Razor', her 2018 calf and male 032 'Busta' off Stenness, Eshaness by Ryan Leith @selkie72. Busta has picked up a new nick on the leading edge of his dorsal fin. https://t.co/rphgNEyf3G
— Orca Survey Scotland (@orcascotland) March 22, 2020
Matriarch #65 has been named “Razor” and was also photographed with a calf alongside Busta in 2020.
In the wild, the average life expectancy of a female Orca is 50, but some can reach as old as 90. Males have a short life expectancy, averaging around 30 and reaching as old as 60.
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