BIG WHALE ATTACKED

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 9

BIG WHALE ATTACKED

ASSAULT BY “KILLERS.”

FIGHT OFF BONDI ROCKS.

A large white sperm whale was attacked by “killers” less than a quarter of' a mile from the rocks at Bondi, Sydney, recently. The fight lasted for some time, and the combatants were surrounded by a school of porpoises. Eventually the whale, which had been lashing about furiously between repeated soundings, disappeared. Commenting on the attack, Mr. D. G. Stead, an authority on the subject, said that, although sperm whales visited the eastern coast of Australia, a fight between such a whale and “killers” was seldom seen, as - the sperm whale was ferocious, and was able to sound for as much as two hours at a time, to lose its attackers. On the other hand, the humpback whale, which was a regular visitant, could sound’ for only a few minutes and was, therefore, much more susceptible to attack. “Hump-back whales are regular visitors at this time of the year,” said Mr. Stead, “and the ‘killers’ usually arrive on the coast before them, in anticipation of this annual migration to warmer waters. They work in packs like wolves and quickly encircle any stray whale. If possible, they will separate a young whale or a cow whale with a calf. They will then, attack, usually until the whale is killed or disabled. Then they make a rush for the enormous tongue which lolls from th_6 victim’s, open mouth. ~ -