- Two killer whales shocked competitors at the Lofoten Masters this weekend
- They suddenly swam into the contest area at the Lofoten Islands, Norway
- A surfer reports that the killer whale was 50cm away when it changed course
- Orcas use echolocation to investigate their habitat and prey
- The charging orca ‘realised the surfer was not a seal and turned away’
A killer whale charged a competitor at a Norwegian surf contest, but the huge animal changed its mind just inches from its intended victim ‘when it realised it wasn’t a seal’.
Two killer whales – also known as orcas – shocked competitors in the semi-finals of the Lofoten Masters as they suddenly swam into the contest area at the Lofoten Islands in Norway this weekend.
‘It looks like the whales have entered the contest……I wonder how the judges are scoring that,’ a shocked commentator said humorously on the video which was shared to social media.
But the amazing encounter could have had a very humorless outcome.
The Norwegian Orca Survey, a charity which monitors killer whales in the Norwegian Sea, confirmed that the sighting was initially a targeted attack on the surfers.
‘Based on group size and behaviour, we have no doubt these orcas were searching for seal prey,’ The Norwegian Orca Survey wrote on Facebook.
‘At some point, we can clearly see an orca charging (full speed!) one of the surfers. Fortunately, orcas use echolocation to better investigate their habitat and prey.
‘It is likely that the charging orca realised, at the very last second, that the surfer was not a seal and so took a sharp turn and moved away.’
The surfer reported that the charging orca was no more than 19 inches away from him.
According to the Lofoten Masters organisers, this may be the first time an orca attack on a human has ever been documented on film.
The Lofoten Masters was first held in 2007, and has since become a fixture on the international competitive surfing calendar. It’s widely known as the ‘Arctic aloha’.
The Norwegian Orca Survey states that the Norwegian killer whales may represent one of the world’s greatest orca populations.
They congregate near shore every winter to feed on Atlantic herring, especially the Norwegian spring spawning stock.
Two killer whales – also known as orcas – shocked competitors in the semi-finals of the Lofoten Masters as they suddenly swam into the contest area this weekend
The orca fins could be seen above water as the two wales swam close to shore among the surfers just off the Lofoten Islands in Norway
The Norwegian Orca Survey , a charity which monitors killer whales in the Norwegian Sea, confirmed that the sighting was initially a targeted attack on the surfers