Videos: Orca sighting Knysna

Duran De Villiers was pleasantly surprised to capture the magnificence of 5 Orcas right outside the Knysna heads on the 6th February 2021.

Orcas, commonly known as killer whales are not frequently sighted in Knysna as they tend to be quite shy. even though their nickname suggests differently, there is no record of a killer whale ever attacking a human in the wild.

“It was like they were waiting to meet us. An incredibly beautiful experience and a first for me in the wild!” ~ Duran De Villiers.

Interesting Facts:

• Orcas are of the dolphin family and the largest members. They can grow up to 9.8 metres (32 feet) in length and ten metric tons (22,000 pounds) in weight.
• Besides humans, they are the most widely distributed mammals in the world.
• Females are one of only three species that go through menopause, the other two being short-finned pilot whales and humans.
• They sleep with just one half of their brain at a time to ensure they remain semi-awake all the time so that they can surface to breathe.
• They have the second-largest brains among all ocean mammals, weighing as much as seven kilograms (15 pounds).
• The oldest known Orca lived to be 103.

Ocean Odyssey is Knysna’s only permitted close encounter whale-watching operation and has been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag Status, an international award given to beaches, marinas, and nature-based boat excursions that meet excellent standards in the categories of environmental education, environmental management, safety, and security and water quality.

Video 1:  Orca Whales Knysna

Video 2: Orca Whales Knysna

Image and video credit: Duran De Villiers