Seal Makes Daring Leap to Safety as Orcas Close In
In a breathtaking wildlife encounter, a harbour seal cheated death by jumping onto a small boat to escape a pursuing pod of killer whales. The dramatic incident was captured on camera by wildlife photographer Charvet Drucker in the Salish Sea, approximately 40 miles north-west of Seattle.
The Hunt Begins
Charvet Drucker was aboard a rented 20-foot boat near her island home when she spotted at least eight killer whales displaying coordinated hunting behaviour. Their distinctive tail slaps and strategic movements indicated they were pursuing prey. Using her camera's zoom lens, Drucker identified their target - a panicked harbour seal desperately trying to flee the predators.
One remarkable photograph shows the seal airborne above the churning water where the orcas were creating a frothing scrum. "I assumed I was witnessing the seal's last moments alive," Drucker later recalled, believing the marine mammal's fate was sealed.
An Unlikely Refuge
As the hunting pod drew closer to the vessel, Drucker and her companions cut the engine in compliance with wildlife boating regulations. To their astonishment, the seal clambered out of the water and onto the boat's swimming platform near the motor, effectively claiming the vessel as an impromptu life raft.
Though regulations prohibit interfering with wildlife, Drucker began recording video. "You poor thing," she can be heard saying to the seal as it looked up at her. "You're good, just stay, buddy."
The Orcas' Strategic Assault
The killer whales didn't abandon their prey easily. They employed a sophisticated hunting technique known as "wave-washing" - lining up and executing staggered dives to create waves that rocked the boat. This method, documented by scientists since the 1980s according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nearly succeeded in dislodging the seal.
Drucker's cellphone footage captured the determined assault as the orcas worked in unison. The seal slid off the platform at least once but managed to scramble back to safety. After approximately 15 minutes of persistent effort, the whales eventually swam away.
Photographer's Change of Allegiance
Drucker, who has previously photographed dead seals in orcas' mouths, expressed mixed feelings about the encounter. "I'm definitely team orca, all day, every day. But once that seal was on the boat, I kind of turned [into] team seal," she confessed in an Associated Press interview.
The hunting whales were identified as Bigg's or "transient" orcas, which prey on seals and various marine animals in the region. According to NOAA, these particular orcas are better nourished than their salmon-focused "resident" counterparts, which are currently on the endangered species list.
This extraordinary encounter demonstrates both the relentless hunting strategies of orcas and the remarkable survival instincts of their prey, all captured through the lens of an observant photographer who found herself at the heart of the drama.
