The surprising incident occurred in the Salish Sea off the coast of Seattle when a pod of killer whales hunting a seal forced the seal to ascend onto the gunwale of the boat, where it survived.
US photographer Charvet Drucker was on a rented 20ft (6 metre) boat located near her home on an Island in the Salish Sea, approximately 40 miles north-west of Seattle, when she observed a pod of at least eight killer whales, also known as orcas.
However, the orcas’ harmonious movements and tail slaps demonstrated that they were hunting.
While using her zoom lens on her camera to identify a harbor seal that was fleeing from the pod, the photographer noticed the seal jump onto her boat.
Her shots further revealed that the seal was flying through the air above the pod of orcas, who were frothing the water, and it (the seal) was observing the last moments.
It has been observed that orcas get closer to the boat, and her group realized that the pod is still pursuing them.
In line with the wildlife boating regulations, they had cut the engine to protect the whales.
The seal floundered out of the water and onto a swimming platform at the rear of the boat near the motor, treating it as a life raft of sorts.
However, Drucker’s phone showed the orcas lining up and moving in on the boat with staggered dives to create waves.
The seal on Drucker’s boat took off at one time but managed to climb back, and the orcas swam away after about 15 minutes. The harbor seals successfully survived the attacks by the giant orcas.
They thrive because they feed on less specialized species, while the salmon-focused “residents” orcas are at the verge of extinction.
The current encounter served as a dramatic display of ingenuity, underscoring the fine line between life and death within the marine environment.