During a whale-watching trip off the coast of Washington state, a group of observers were surprised to spot an unusual companion swimming alongside a killer whale.
As a whale named Cooper breached the water's surface, revealing its dorsal fin, the head of a deer emerged from the ocean nearby. A photo captured by one of the onlookers shows this unexpected encounter near Battleship Island in the San Juan Archipelago.
The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) described the sighting in their daily report, stating that they initially encountered a lone male killer whale named Cooper.
It was only upon reviewing their photos that they realized the whale had swum past a black-tailed deer, prompting them to remark on the remarkable odds of such an occurrence.
The photographs were taken by team members aboard an Island Adventures Whale Watching boat. According to the photographer, Sam Murphy, the whale, officially identified as T124C, showed no interest in the deer, as it typically feeds on seals and sea lions, which have higher fat content.
While it is not uncommon for deer to swim in bodies of water, including the ocean, this was the first-time sighting for PWWA staff to witness a deer swimming so close to an orca.
Deer are known for their swimming abilities, reaching speeds of around 15 mph and covering several miles in water, as stated by WorldDeer.org.
Whale sightings, on the other hand, have become more common in recent years due to cleaner oceans and the availability of seals and sea lions as food sources for the whales. This unique encounter between a deer and a killer whale offered a rare and unexpected moment for the whale watchers.
