The rare type of Antarctic orcas were spotted swimming in a pod up to six times larger than usual. 9News
And the rare Type C killer whales certainly made it quite a first sighting, swimming in a pod seen with up to six times the typical number of whales seen together in the area.
Staff and passengers aboard Wildlife Coast Cruises spotted at least 12 of the Antarctic eco-type orcas swimming off Phillip Island on Thursday afternoon.The cruise company has called the sighting the first reported sighting of the rare type of whales in Victoria. The fish-eating orcas migrate north from Antarctica and have only been sighted seven times in Australian coastal waters.
Wildlife Coast Cruises' Ben Dickie said the rare encounter was "a very exciting experience" for all involved.The first documented sighting of Type C killer whales in Victoria occurred in Bass Strait on July 14.It's only the second pod of orcas his team have sighted this season, with crews normally seeing humpback whales.
Dickie said they also hardly ever saw so many whales at once, with pods of whales that came through the area also typically only containing two to four whales.
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