‘Killer whale’ of a time!

WESTBURY’S Active Retirement Club (ARC) members heard a superb talk on orcas on the 31st of May. 

The club reports, “Often described as killer whales, orcas are in fact the largest member of the dolphin family, with males reaching 25 feet in length and weighing up to six tons. The female is smaller, weighing three to four tons. As warm-blooded mammals they give birth to live young with calves weighing 400lbs and can be 8ft long. 

“Orcas live in complex social groups similar to apes and elephants. Because of their strong social bonds, it is increasingly thought of as inhumane to keep them in captivity, primarily to entertain the public. Because of this, these shows will most likely be phased out in the near future. 

“Orcas produce three types of sounds, clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls. These various sounds greatly assist with navigation, locating prey, and also communicating within social gatherings. Orcas frequently breach, lifting their bodies clear of the water and also have a reputation for playfulness. 

“They frequently follow closely behind small boats just off the coast. As they can be as big and heavy as the boat itself, nervous owners often try to turn left or right or speed up to outrun their pursuer, but to no avail. Apparently, this behaviour is often nothing more than a mother orca with a youngster teaching it to follow a moving prey. To resolve the situation, you should slow down and stop the boat. The orcas will then lose interest and swim off elsewhere. 

“We also heard of one case where an orca became stranded on a beach. Locals managed to apply water regularly to stop the skin splitting and after a couple of days, were able to get it back to sea. Following it a few miles out they were surprised to see it welcomed by a group of others, which had obviously been waiting for it to re-join them. A happy ending to a fascinating talk.” 

On the 28th of June there will be another meeting at the Horse and Groom pub and guests can come along to enjoy two free meetings before deciding if they want to join. 

Membership costs £10 a month. If you would like to join the ARC, or would like to find out more, please call Mark on 01373 823826.