Actually, these are Shamu's or Willy's relatives: Orcas or Killer Whales. They're really just huge mean dolphins or porpoises because they have teeth.
There are about 3 groups with special things they like to eat. And apperantly they have been doing it for so many hundreds of years, that the groups are genetically identifiable as different.
"Transient" ones live far out to sea and like to eat their smaller porpoise cousins; but a recent article in Alaska Magazine talks about how some gang up on giant Gray Whales to feast on them. Other groups or pods like to eat just salmon and other fish. And some like to stay close to land and eat local sea life: otters, seals, and sea lions are specially tasty to them.
This group sure likes to come into the harbor in Spring. Our sea lions take notice. They wake up, jump in the water, and a few "brave" ones swim out and start barking at them...similar to what they do when I get too close to them when kayaking.
Here some sea lions I photographed last Autumn, coming to "protect" their water.
So, if you where a whale with teeth and saw a 500 to 1,000 pounder like this come up to you and bark in you face, what would you think?
Apparently, Orcas think, "Lunch!".
This reminds me of my favorite quote form the Forest Gump movie:
"Stupid is as stupid does!"
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