As we were travelling out of the Weddell Sea, somewhere the Antarctic Expedition ships do not visit as regularly as the west side of the peninsula, due to sea ice, we had a wonderful encounter with type A orcas, my first of this ecotype.
These orcas are apparently found around the tip of the peninsula sometimes and are thought to mostly feed on Minke whales and elephant seals. They are usually in groups of around 10-15 individuals with an estimated population of 150.
In glassy conditions we followed the group for a while, but in fading light. One large male came very close to our ship, surfacing a few times next to us.
These orcas look very much like other ecotypes around the world and are not nearly as distinctive as the Type B smalls I have seen before in Antarctica.
It was a great thrill though to see my second orca ecotype, of the five found in Antarctic waters. Three more to go!
-Judith
This story can also be heard in Episode 55 in the Whale Tales Podcast.
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