Orca and Salmon

 

A lunging Orca narrowly misses a fleeing salmon. The Orca (Killer Whale) is a common sight in the San Juan Islands, especially in the late Spring and Summer months. The "J" pod is the island's resident group of whales, but in the summer months the population is augmented by two transient pods, "K" and "L" pods. The Orca is not a true whale, but belongs to the group of sea mammals called dolphins. Salmon is the major food source for our island Orcas. Photo by James M. Maya.