Seal in Florida – Credit: Robert Woeger via Unsplash
Today’s story comes from the Good News Network
Seal Flops onto Photographer’s Boat to Escape Hunting Orca Pod–She Captured it All on Camera
An experienced wildlife photographer with a penchant for marine mammals, such as whales, recently witnessed a lone seal miraculously survive a hunt by 8 killer whales.
Far more than just bearing witness, it was more or less the photographer’s presence that allowed it to happen, as the seal escaped the jaws of the hunters by clambering up onto the boat.
Shared with AP, Charvet Drucker told her story of the encounter that began last week on a whale-watching boat. About 40 miles northwest of Seattle, in the Salish Sea, she spotted a pod of orcas, also called killer whales, and observed behavior suggesting they were hunting.
Quickly attaching her telescopic lens, the orcas splashed into action, attempting to secure a meal out of an adult seal that was thrown into the air among the scrum of black and white bodies. Her shutter rang out in her ears as Drucker observed what she thought were the seal’s last moments of life.
Suddenly, the pod altered its course and headed straight for the boat, and she realized they were still hunting the seal. Following marine life regulations, the skipper killed the engines as the pod approached to avoid harming them.
That’s when the seal flopped out of the water and onto the flat panel at the back of the boat like it would a piece of ice in the sea.
“You poor thing,” Drucker can be heard saying, as the seal looks up at her. “You’re good, just stay, buddy.”
In the wild, orcas have ways of dislodging seals from tiny icebergs, and they went straight into their playbook, even though the safe haven was a boat, not an iceberg. They began to move toward the boat and execute a series of staggered dives that create subsurface waves that can rock a seal off its perch.
First documented in 1980, the orca’s strategy worked, but none among them were fast enough to catch the seal during the brief moments that it fell back into the water. After about 15 minutes, the orcas left.
It’s not the first time Drucker has witnessed this behavior, and she usually accepts the natural order of prey-predator interactions and is happy when the orcas get to eat.
“I’m definitely Team Orca, all day, every day. But once that seal was on the boat, I kind of turned (into) Team Seal,” she said in an interview with AP last Thursday.
Apparently, orcas near Washington that feed on seals are migratory, or “transient” orcas, and tend to be better fed than “resident” orcas that seem to specialize in eating salmon.
Watch the video
The good news in this story is the seal lived to see another day. Also, one missed seal is not a big deal for the orcas. They will find more. Today’s JohnKu talks about the natural way of things. I hope you have a super weekend.
Natural by John W. Howell © 2025
Prey and predictor,
Are nature’s natural way. . .
Respect the process.
Fiction Favorites 
A great story, also very heart touching. The nature cares for itself, when humans stay away. Best wishes, Michael
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The trick is finding a place to send the humans. 😀
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Wow!
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Close call.
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Amazing capture! I saw whales up close years ago off the coast of Maine. Powerful sight. Great Johnku about respecting the process, John.
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Thank you, Gwen. When I lived in Northern California I did see some migrating whales. You are right. A powerful sight. Wishing you a lovely weekend.😊
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Tell you what, let’s take SPAM and shape it into something the Orcas will want to eat, and save the seals… ❤
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Good idea. pigs look like seals (somewhat)
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The orcas are beautiful to look at, but oh the little seal. How scared it must have been to climb up on that boat–thankfully. What a story!
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In the wild they do that with icebergs. The boat was very handy, and there was no polar bear in the boat.
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The seal was fortunate to be able to save its life by boarding the boat. I imagine the orcas found some other food.
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I’m sure they did. Thanks, Tim.
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I saw this heart-touching story when it came out. I am happy for the seal, but it faces a tough existence.
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It does face a tough existence, Noelle.
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I’ve seen videos of penguins doing this too. Scary.
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Yes.
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Cool story of a very smart seal!
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I agree. Very smart.
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Aw so cute. Just as well it wasn’t thr other way round
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Yes. I agree. Thanks, Geoff.
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This seal wanted to live to see another day, and made a clutch call. Kudos to the “rescue team.” They’ll likely never forget the experience, John. Great story.
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I think you are right about not forgetting the story.
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It’s hard not to be Team Seal in a situation like this. I know the orcas have to eat but man oh man… I’d rather not see it!
Wonderful share, John. Happy Friday!
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I think we all would rather not see it.
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True story!
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👍🏻
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I know it’s nature but I’m always rooting for the underdog! So this made me smile and feel happy. Thanks, John.
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Me too, Esther. Let the orca eat cake.
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I can relate to this. You generally want the predators to eat but if the game escapes into your presence it’s hard to stay unaffected by their plight.
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Yes, it is. You must see this kind of situation all the time.
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I’d say that’s a pretty smart seal! May it swim in joy as it has another day/week/year…?
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Let’s start with minute/hour/day/week/year 😊
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I am usually Team Seal or Sea Lion too. Not anti Orca.
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Got it.
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“I kind of turned (into) Team Seal,” she said in an interview with AP last Thursday.” I can certainly understand that. I am glad the seal survived.
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I am too. Maybe the orca can get a Chick-fil-a
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Or maybe a fish sandwich
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That, too.
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I agree with your JohnKu, but it was nice to see the seal use its wits to survive.
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Yes, it was, Liz.
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What an incredible video. Talk about a seal with nine lives. He just used one of them.
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It would appear to be so, Pete. Thanks
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I kinda know how that little guy felt this week and was so glad he survived. Yay Team Seal!
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We should get jerseys with TEAM SEAL on them.
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…or Seal Team! LOL
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That one is taken, I think. 😀
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Not according to that seal. 😂
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Good point. 🤣
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I saw this one yesterday and LOVED it! Great share, John!
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I agree. Thanks, Jill.
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👍😊
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😊
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I saw this video earlier this week and was so relieved the seal lived. His face is just adorable.
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I was happy, too.
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That had to be frightening for the seal AND for the individuals on that boat, to have a pod of killer whales in pursuit. Thankfully this little guy was saved, and like you said, those orcas will find more somewhere else. On this day, it was a happy ending for the seal.
That video is something else!
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It was a good day for the seal. Thanks, Pilgrim.
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Thank you Boss
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😊
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This was wonderful to watch!
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I agree. I’m sure the orca could find something else to eat.
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Yes. I was surprised at how many orcas were there.
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Looked like a pod.
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Yes!
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😊
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Just had a chance to watch the video. I would have been dragging that poor baby onto the boat. They are angels, in the right time and place. 😇 Thank you for sharing!
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I’ll bet you would. 😀
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Thank you! 😊
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😊
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And we only thought they did those tricks back at SeaWorld. Lucky pup!
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Ha ha ha. Good one Steve.
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Thanks, John. Occasionally I come up with a good one😉
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More than occasionally
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Geez! What an adventure. The seal is so cute.
Yes, nature will have her way, and respect is the order of the day. Still,I’m happy this tale had a good ending.
Ah honest JohnKu!
🦭X
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I’m happy it ended that way, too. 🐳X
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Yes!
Let me take this moment to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, John!
I wish the best time for you and yours!
OX
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Aw, thank you so much, Resa. 🦃X
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Remember to chew your food properly, no gobbling! 🤭X 😹X
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Will do. 😀X
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Wow, nature at its best. 🙂
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It is. Thank you, Debby
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🙂
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