LOPEZ ISLAND, Wash. -- A private whale watching tour witnesses a group of transient orcas hunting for a meal.
In this case, members of the T-137 group attacked a thousand-pound Stellar sea lion.
According to Mystic Sea Charters, passenger Mike caught the hunt near Lopez Island on camera.
Transient orcas eat marine mammals, including seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins and other whales, while resident orcas eat mainly salmon. Both types can be seen in the Puget Sound, off the Washington coast and up into British Columbia, but transients and residents generally don't interact.
Transients generally travel in smaller groups, usually only three to four, and stay closer to the shore.
According to the Orca Network, about 320 transient orcas have been identified between California and Southeast Alaska.
