Deep Sea Giants: Inside the World of Orcas & Humpback Whales

Whales. They stir our emotions like no other living creatures. Whales achieve breathtaking proportions, the largest animals ever to inhabit the earth. Their migrations are legendary, epics of time and distance, stretching across vast oceans. Their vocalizations, such as the humpback's beautiful song, are haunting melodies of the sea. Many species were almost hunted to extinction, and though our knowledge of whales has grown, they remain living symbols of our mysterious ocean realm. Today, we'll focus on two of the most fascinating whales, orcas and humpbacks. We'll travel to the Silver Banks Whale Sanctuary in the eastern Caribbean to study Atlantic humpbacks in their winter birthing and breeding grounds. We'll also journey to Canada's Pacific coast and Mexico's Sea of Cortez for encounters with infamous killer whales. Immense and powerful, and yet highly vulnerable, whales swim gracefully through all the world's oceans. We are entranced by the obvious intelligence of cetaceans, such as curious dolphins. We marvel at the elaborate social bonds of orcas, many of which live their entire lives in the same maternal pod. And we are captivated by the haunting calls of the humpback, perhaps the most musical of the great whales. All cetaceans, whales, dolphins, and porpoises are mammals, like us. Yet they inhabit a world that humans have never fully understood or explored. The creatures that eventually became cetaceans first took to the seas over 60 million years ago. Whales evolved from deer-like land animals. Their closest living relatives are bison, pigs, and perhaps even cattle. Scientists believe the hippopotamus is actually the land animal most akin to whales. Cetaceans are unique in that they evolved from the sea, colonized land, and then returned to the sea as air-breathing mammals. As they adapted to life in the ocean, whales evolved the distinct characteristics that make them such remarkable swimmers and divers. They have streamlined bodies covered with a thick, pliable layer of blubber which protects them from heat loss. Whales rely on powerful horizontal tail flukes, which in some species grow to several meters across. In larger whales like the humpback, each tail has a distinct pattern, and scientists use these differences to identify individuals. Massive tails propel the animals through water, while fins and flippers act as stabilizers and rudders. Whales have not developed an acute sense of smell because water does not transmit odor very well. Visual acuity is also of limited use in the blackened depths of the sea. Sound, however, can travel hundreds of kilometers through water, and whales use highly developed acoustic skills for navigation, hunting, and communication. Toothed cetaceans, such as dolphins and orcas, make sounds by forcing air through their larynx and blowhole. It's still unclear how baleen whales, like humpbacks, make sounds. It's presumed that they force air through a series of cavities in their heads. Although other whales and dolphins make sounds underwater, none equals the humpback for complexity and precision. However they achieve these remarkable vocalizations, it's a haunting and dazzling display of virtuosity. Hunted mercilessly to near extinction, many species of whales are today highly endangered animals. Baleen, blubber, oil, and dozens of other whale substances were used in countless consumer products. Most items were eventually replaced with synthetic alternatives, and international bans were implemented on whaling to conserve many species. With the exception of a handful of countries like Norway and Japan, and a few isolated indigenous cultures, whales are no longer hunted. Cetaceans range in size from compact dolphins and porpoises, less than six feet in length, to medium-sized whales like the pilot whale and orca, all the way up to the largest animal on earth, the 100-foot blue whale. To study and observe humpback whales, we flew to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the eastern Caribbean. From Grand Turk, we cruised south to the silver banks of the Dominican Republic. In Grand Turk, we joined the liveaboard diving vessel the Turks and Caicos Aggressor. Designed for extended stays at sea, we traveled with the Aggressor on a week-long whale-watching expedition. We journeyed south, following the migration route of the western North Atlantic humpback whale. After an overnight crossing, we reached the silver banks and our first group of humpback whales. Even in rough, choppy seas, the telltale spouts are easy to locate. The whales empty their lungs of all but 10 percent of their capacity, and then inhale. As a general rule, there may be anywhere between one and a half a dozen blows before the whale submerges again. The silver banks is a shallow ridge of coral reefs and white sand that rises from the depths of the southern Atlantic. These humpbacks spend most of their time feeding in the cool, temperate waters of the North Atlantic. During the winter months, however, they migrate thousands of miles south to the eastern Caribbean, where they mate and give birth. Humpback whales can grow to 50 feet long and weigh upwards of one ton per foot of body length. They are indeed giants of the sea. Probably the best known and most dramatic of humpback behaviors is the breach. Scientists speculate that it may be a form of communication, or intimidation, or an attempt to dislodge parasites. Whatever the reason, breaching seems to be contagious. If one humpback breaches, others are surely to follow suit. Another commonly observed behavior is the pectoral fin slap. The whale rolls on its side, lifts the pectoral fin completely out of the water, and brings it back down with a loud crash. This is a method by which the whales, usually males, advertise their presence to other whales and prospective mating partners. Recent research revealed that some female humpbacks calve annually rather than every two years, as was previously thought. The young calves and older juveniles are insatiably curious, allowing snorkelers to approach within a few feet. This curiosity cost them dearly at the hands of 19th century whalers, who harpooned calves and held them as decoys to draw their mothers within range. So great was the slaughter, and so perilously close did humpbacks come to extinction, that an international treaty in 1966 banned commercial hunting of the species worldwide. Our camera team, for the difficult task of filming the humpbacks underwater, consisted of renowned freelance photographer Tom Campbell and staff cameraman Jim Kosmic. Because of sanctuary rules, the camera team was not allowed to use scuba equipment. The whales are also more at ease with snorkelers, as the noise of scuba bubbles quickly scares them away. The challenge facing Tom and Jim was to get close enough to the whales to get a clear shot while holding their breath. With limited visibility and only a handful of brief encounters in four days, it appeared as though the camera team would come up empty-handed. But on the fifth and final day of the expedition, a dramatic breakthrough. A young male and female courting provided the team a lengthy filming opportunity. The young pair allowed an unprecedented glimpse into the lives of young humpback whales. The two cavorted and played with each other, oblivious to the presence of humans. Deep-sea gymnasts, the whales were comfortable in any position. Perhaps when you're weightless and live in a three-dimensional world, there is no such thing as up or down. For a few hours, the acrobatic pair frolicked in shallow water, allowing the cameramen a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study the humpbacks up close. The males showed clear evidence of ferocious battles with other males. A deep 10-foot scar was probably the result of a vicious tail slash. Covering their massive heads are large bumps called tubercles, hair cells which serve as receptors. They provide the whales with information about their surroundings, the presence of other whales, and the location of prey. The tail, or flukes, are the most commonly recognized feature of the humpback. Researchers have photo files of hundreds of humpback tails, enabling them to identify and follow the migrations of specific individuals. The flukes provide the thrust and power to swim at top speeds and to leap completely out of the water when breaching. Three whales stayed with us for over an hour, and we got singing, we got topside, bottom shots, we got just about everything we needed. It was an incredible encounter. Visibility was very limited, so we had to get very tight on the animals, and they didn't seem to mind that. We worked our way in very slowly so as not to disturb them, so we could get down to, say, six feet away from them, and that made for some very nice shooting. You know, that one whale, it came up right underneath me. It's like a freight train. I'm looking. I think, oh my god, he's gonna hit me. I saw that. Holy mackerel. It seems like the last four, five assignments, everything I've shot's been on the last day, the last few hours. I tell you, we're lucky today. We're getting skunked most of the week, and then whammo, an hour and a half with a whale. You know, even after 25 years being in the wildlife business and working with all kinds of different animals, sharks, whales, dolphins, you name it, it's a very, very unique and special experience to dive with these whales. And for us to be able to get this close to them and be able to see them in their own habitat and record some of their activity with the babies and so forth, it's an incredible experience, and it really makes it worthwhile to have an opportunity to do this. All right, ready? Come on board. Sleek, powerful, and fearless, killer whales rule the seas. They are the ultimate apex predator. Large sharks, even sperm whales, are no match for the orca. Once creatures of mystery and fear, seen as villainous man-eaters, orcas have been found to be highly social, intelligent, even gentle animals. There's not a single documented case of orcas attacking or killing humans. Orcas are found worldwide, and fortunately are not an endangered species at this time. They escaped intense commercial whaling because they were considered too small to be worth the effort of harpooning. While on assignment in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, cameraman Tom Campbell had an accidental and extremely rare opportunity to film killer whales underwater. In northern climes, limited visibility prohibits filming orcas underwater. In these crystal clear turquoise waters, the beautiful animals were a remarkable sight. Hundreds of killer whales live along the coastlines of Washington State, British Columbia, and Alaska. Some are large resident pods that lead more sedentary lives, feeding mainly on salmon. Others are transients, traveling in small pods of six or fewer whales that hunt larger prey, such as seals and sea lions. While fishing for prawns near Powell River, British Columbia, amateur cameraman Randy Haight found himself in a very rare situation. He discovered an injured orca in urgent need of help. Haight was able to document the encounter with the distressed whale on videotape. A five-year-old female, identified as A57, named Kelpa, was gasping for breath at the surface. Marine mammal technician Graham Ellis was called in to assess the situation. There's no sign of any bleeding, but yeah, definitely a manageable size with wet animals. Kelpa's pod hovered around the site for two days, showing obvious concern for their sick family member. With the help of the Vancouver Aquarium, Ellis hoped to rescue the whale, but their efforts were to be futile. Kelpa succumbed to her injuries and died. Time of death, three, name 39. Official time of death, 339. Randy Haight and conservation officials were able to prevent the whale from sinking and towed her to shore. Marine scientists were granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study a newly deceased wild orca. After a close inspection, there was no visible clues as to her condition. A pathologist was eventually able to determine, from an autopsy, that the whale had died from a bacterial infection caused by a pronounced underbite. Although a tragic loss, the death of Kelpa provided truly valuable insights into the pathology of orcas in the wild. Her death would not go unnoticed. Hunting over the last four centuries, collisions with ships and, more recently, pollution have reduced some of the world's cetacean populations to 10% of their historic levels. That the whale is a mammal is not new, but new and exciting insights into behavior and genetics emphasize strong parallels with land animals. To know whales as individuals once seemed impossible. Now we can recognize and track thousands by their unique markings. It is more urgent than ever that we rise to the challenge of protecting and understanding these great animals, the largest to ever roam the earth.