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Killer whales spotted off Sydney’s northern beaches

In a rare sighting, a pod of killer whales cutting through water ‘like fighter jets’ has been seen off Sydney beaches for the first time in six years. WATCH THE VIDEO

Killer whales seen off Northern Beaches

Now this is something you don’t see every day – a pod of killer whales cutting through waters like fighter jets off Sydney’s northern beaches.

The apex predators, which feed mostly on fish but have been known to target other species of whales and even great white sharks, were seen about eight kilometres out from Curl Curl Beach on Thursday.

The pod of killer whales heads north off Curl Curl Beach on Thursday. Picture: Whale Watching Sydney/Ted Lam
The pod of killer whales heads north off Curl Curl Beach on Thursday. Picture: Whale Watching Sydney/Ted Lam
Scars can be seen on one of the animals. Picture: Whale Watching Sydney/Ted Lamb
Scars can be seen on one of the animals. Picture: Whale Watching Sydney/Ted Lamb

Whale Watching Sydney photographer Ted Lamb, who took photos of the pod of about 15 animals from a boat, said they were travelling north “very, very fast”.

“They were almost like fighter jets in formation, they were incredibly fast,” Mr Lamb said.

“It was unbelievable, we didn’t expect it, the last time orcas were sighted off Sydney was in 2018 off Botany Bay.”

Killer whales are found in all the world’s oceans, but sightings off Sydney are rare. Picture: Whale Watching Sydney/ Ted Lamb
Killer whales are found in all the world’s oceans, but sightings off Sydney are rare. Picture: Whale Watching Sydney/ Ted Lamb

Mr Lamb said a pod of humpback whales had been seen further up the coast chasing a big school of fish, which the orcas may have also been pursuing.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/killer-whales-spotted-off-sydneys-northern-beaches/news-story/9fef076d9151f5fe6819a84022796f84