Orcas Hunting Sea Lions Shadowed by Humpbacks off Moss Landing

Under calm conditions off Moss Landing this morning aboard Ocean Spirit, we encountered a dynamic multi-species interaction centered around killer whales moving through the area. The orcas were actively hunting California sea lions, creating immediate agitation across a large aggregation of nearly three hundred sea lions dispersed near the submarine canyon.

As the hunt progressed, humpback whales moved directly into the perimeter to chase and shadow the killer whales. This type of interspecific intervention is well documented in humpbacks, which frequently disrupt mammal-hunting killer whale operations even when unrelated species are the target. Alongside the hunt, the orcas were also observed tail-swatting common murres resting on the surface, a behavior often associated with prey handling or play.

Across the morning, we accounted for 30 humpback whales spread through the sector alongside an estimated 298 California sea lions. The glassy sea state offered exceptional sightlines, making it straightforward to follow the directional shifts of the orcas and the persistent pursuit by the humpbacks.

Documenting these complex, multi-species interactions remains one of the most compelling dimensions of Monterey Bay, providing a clear window into how apex predators and baleen whales share and contest the same productive waters.