Off the wire
• China, Russia wrap up search for WWII Soviet Union soldiers' remains  • Brazil's Senate approves creation of BRICS Bank  • Nauru's justice minister denies Australian bribery allegations  • Quake jolts central Greece, no casualties  • Indian police arrest Delhi's law minister over fake university degree  • Results of Women's World Cup  • Japan beat Switzerland 1-0 in women's World Cup  • India, Britain to hold joint military exercise  • S. Korean president orders all measures to minimize MERS impact on economy  • Photo shoot featuring naked model under investigation: Palace Museum  
You are here: 　 Home

Orca calf sighted off Western Australia coast

Xinhua, June 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

In a rare sighting, a killer whale, or Orca calf, has been videoed by a Perth schoolgirl swimming meters from shore on Western Australia's south west coast, local media reported Tuesday.

The girl's father, David Vinciguerra, said the Orca calf swam next to his daughter in Geographe Bay while she paddled her kayak for over one kilometer last Sunday.

"It would stay really close to her and it was happy just to turn on its side and look up at her and click and make noises and get a bit of a scratch," Vinciguerra said.

Vinciguerra said the whale near the beach when it was first sighted and remained playing within 300 meters of the shore.

Senior marine wildlife officer Doug Coughran said it was rare for a calf to be close to shore.

"You do get some individuals sighted but (it's) very rare for us," Coughran said. "When you do see one individual and it is a young animal of an age that would normally be with a mother, it is a bit of a concern."

Coughran said although not seen, it could have been in touch with other pods over an extended distance.

"We don't really know why it was (out) there on its own; it hung around, it was in a healthy condition apart from (bite marks) on external features," Coughran said. Endi