As others have noted before me, death in the wild is purposeful and intimate. Many predator mammals put their faces on their prey and get close enough for intimate eye contact. Sure, whales eat krill and anchovies en masse, and bats eat insects in nightly aerial sorties, but the toothed predators get close - close enough to whisper.

When the fog lifted on Thursday 4/27, two pods of killer whales were found on a training exercise, teaching their young to hunt small prey. After devouring a harbor porpoise, they sprinted to a baby elephant seal. Hunting lessons ensued. During the hunt, the seal and one of the orcas came within eye contact distance of the boat, and we got a perspective on the intimate moments before final predation.

Thank you to @sanctuarycruises and @chasedekkerphotography for this unique look at our marine mammal life in Monterey Bay.

#killerwhale #orca #orcaorcinus #cycleolife #montereybay #predationevent #elephantseal #babyelephantseal #intimacyofdeath