Territorial humpback whales encounter pod of orcas off CA coast. See photos

A pod of humpback whales encountered a group of killer whales during feeding time off the coast of California.

On June 24, a group “lucky enough” to spot nine orcas was even able to identify them, according to a Facebook post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

The California Killer Whale Project helped identify the orcas as CA45, CA45B, CA46D, CA216, CA216A, CA216D, CA216D1, CA216E and CA216F, a group that isn’t seen together very often, the whale watching company said.

Killer whales are highly social ocean predators that live and travel in groups, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Killer whales rely on underwater sound to feed, communicate, and navigate,” according to NOAA. “Pod members communicate with each other through clicks, whistles and pulsed calls.”

When the whale watchers first arrived, they came across three humpback whales that were attempting to push the orcas, who had just finished hunting, out of the area, onlookers said.

Humpback whales have one of the “longest migrations of any mammal on the planet” and tend to feed on krill and small fish when they move from “tropical breeding grounds to colder, more productive feeding grounds,” according to the NOAA.

While the territorial humpbacks were “pursuing” the killer whales, the pod of orcas remained in a “tight group” and left the area together, officials said.

Throughout the day, groups got a chance to see the nine orcas, 20 humpback whales and 50 Risso’s dolphins, the post said.

Monterey is about a 120-mile drive southeast from San Francisco.

This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Territorial humpback whales encounter pod of orcas off CA coast. See photos."