Watch Two Swimmers Luck Out as Orca Whales Miss Them By Mere Inches

Continue reading for our analysis...

These two swimmers encountered a group of killers… killer whales that is! Watch below as two massive orca whales menacingly swim past a pair of young swimmers. 

The video was taken in New Zealand, which is a place that is known for having a healthy orca (or killer whale) population. It begins by showing a scenic view consisting of a gorgeous inlet of water that is bordered by cliffs. We can see two dorsal fins from a set of orcas sticking out of the water. 

After a few seconds, the two orcas begin traveling toward the ocean and out of the small inlet. The camera pans in the same direction only to show two young swimmers. Unfortunately, they are directly in the path of the orca whales. 

Almost like a scene out of a horror movie, the orcas creep up toward the unsuspecting swimmers like a pair of ravenous sharks. After a moment of suspense, the orcas calmly pass by the swimmers, almost touching them with their fins. 

The video ends by showing the majestic pair swimming off into the ocean, while the two young swimmers continue to frolic in the water! 

Do Orcas Attack People? 

Although the orcas in the video below didn’t attack the pair of young swimmers, many people wonder if they are dangerous or attack people. In short, orcas aren’t too dangerous as long as you aren’t a sea animal. Orcas are at the top of their food chain and truly hunt most animals in the sea. Some of their favorite meals include fish, seals, and even sharks! 

Orcas have the potential to cause dangerous situations such as the one shown below. For instance, if an orca mistakes a swimmer for a seal or other sea animal, they may be inclined to attack. 

Additionally, sometimes the sheer size of orca whales can be dangerous. There are many cases of orcas getting close to kneeboarders and surfers alike.

Where Do Orcas Live? 

Orcas are a very adaptable species that span the globe in terms of population distribution. They are considered to be a metropolitan species, meaning that they are quite literally found across the world’s oceans. 

Killer whales seem to prefer colder water such as the North Pacific Ocean. A lot of research into the behavior, ecology, and biology of orca whales has been conducted in the northern hemisphere. 

As a species, orcas tend to be somewhat social, forming pods of 20 or fewer individuals who travel and hunt together. Each pod typically has a set of unique calls that they create, which allow them to distinguish between friends and strangers in the ocean. 

Interestingly enough, there are multiple “ecotypes” of orcas that differ based on the time they stay in one location. Resident whales stay in one location for most of their life, usually near some coast or shoreline. In contrast, offshore whales are usually found away from the coast for the majority of their lives, although they do travel toward the shore on occasion. Lastly, transient whales move around frequently from area to area, usually in search of their next meal! 

Is it Normal Behavior for Orcas to Approach Humans?

There are instances where orca whales enter areas where people swim and as a result, encounter humans. It’s not a usual occurrence, and orcas are not known to deliberately seek humans out. Orcas usually stick to oceans and coastal waters, but sometimes venture near shorelines. Interactions with humans are usually at a distance. 

In the case of the video, the swimmers appear to be in the path of the orcas as they are exiting that small bay, which could be an explanation of why they came so close. Orcas are sociable creatures, as well as highly intelligent, and can come into contact with humans or boats out of curiosity.

There are no documented records to date of an orca whale in the wild purposely attacking or killing a human. However, there are 4 documented deaths of humans by orcas in captivity, 3 from an orca that lived in captivity at Sea World in Orlando, Florida. Its name was Tilikum, and the story is documented in the 2013 film Blackfish. While experts are not sure if the attacks were on purpose or occurred accidentally, they do think that this orca probably suffered from psychosis, likely brought on by its captivity for many years.