A group of orcas surprised residents on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast when they came close to shore and engaged in a unique behavior of rubbing their bellies on the rocks. Ryan Chilibeck, a resident of Gibsons, rushed to Secret Beach Park upon hearing about the killer whales swimming nearby on Jan. 2. He was fortunate to witness the spectacular show as the orcas swam just a few feet away from the shore, captivating a group of onlookers.
These whales have been identified as the northern resident killer whales (NRKW) from the A5 pod, consisting of three different families, according to Jared Towers, the executive director of Bay Cetology. Towers mentioned that only a few killer whale populations worldwide exhibit such behavior, making it a rare and specialized occurrence.
The pebbles at the Sunshine Coast’s Secret Beach Park are specifically favored by the A5 pod for belly rubbing, a behavior that provides pleasure to the whales and aids in exfoliation. The whales rubbing against the smooth rocks helps expedite the shedding process of their active skin, as explained by Towers.
The community came together over the whale sightings, with Chilibeck expressing his excitement as an avid orca enthusiast. Glenda Sewards, who runs a local Facebook group sharing whale sightings, emphasized the joy of enabling the community to witness these magnificent creatures. Sewards initiated the group over a decade ago after spotting whales from her own property, aiming to spread the joy and excitement of whale sightings among residents.
The shared experience of witnessing the orcas engaging in this unique behavior has brought the community together and sparked enthusiasm for marine wildlife among residents.