Killer whales of Eden, New South Wales

Common card · No. 459274

The killers of Eden or Twofold Bay killers were a group of killer whales (Orcinus orca) known for their co-operation with human whalers. They were seen near the port of Eden in southeastern Australia between 1840 and 1930. A pod of killer whales, which included amongst its members a distinctive male called Old Tom, would assist whalers in hunting baleen whales. The killer whales would find target whales, shepherd them into Twofold Bay or neighbouring regions of coast, and then often swim many kilometres away from the location of the hunt to alert the whalers at their cottage to their presence and often help to kill the whales.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Killer_whale_(Old_Tom)_and_whalers_-_original.jpeg: Charles Eden Wellings (1881-1952) derivative work: Avenue (talk), Public domain