Orcas, also known as killer whales, are not foreign to the KwaZulu-Natal shores. Spotting these creatures in the wild, however, is rare, with only 17 recorded sightings of orcas in KZN since 2015.
WATCH:
Commercial fisherman Rustin Naidoo was on his usual daily voyage with his crew, about 3km off the shore, bordering on the Aliwal Shoal line, when they spotted two orca pods on October 26.
‘I’ve only seen orcas once before when I was fishing on my dad’s boat as a youngster. I’m at sea daily and haven’t seen anything quite like this since. It was really beautiful. They were just cruising and playing in our wake,’ Naidoo told IOL.
Later on, the crew spotted another pod, this time it was about 15 to 20 orcas.
Naidoo accounted for this rare sighting: ‘The cooler sea temperatures could account for the orcas’ appearance, and that they’re often known to settle in an area for a while, giving visitors to the South Coast a rare opportunity to spot this incredible marine animal.’
Picture: Getaway Gallery
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