Charvet Drucker, a wildlife photographer, recently documented a breathtaking and intense scene while on a whale watching trip in the Salish Sea. The event was held close to her home, on an island roughly 40 miles northwest of Seattle. There, she saw a pod of at least eight killer whales, or orcas, brutally hunting a harbor seal.
Trolling on Aboard a rented 20-foot boat, Drucker expertly wielded her camera’s zoom lens. Her camera documented the harrowing scene as the pod of orcas continued to chase down the seal. Her footage highlights the raw power of nature and the instinctual struggle for survival that often occurs in marine ecosystems. The seal, frantic to avoid the orcas, swam under the ice before taking a bold leap of faith just above the surface.
Just like the killer whales were hunting, the harbor seal was fishing. It scrambled immediately on the aft deck of Drucker’s boat, and in true Indiana Jones style, made its raucous escape. The seal stumbled into an unlikely sanctuary. Within that short-lived newfound safety, it ducked out from under the radar of its most stalwart chasers. It’s Drucker’s discerning eye and immediate reflexes that earned her a shot of this amazing moment between predator and prey.
Not only does this recent incident highlight the fascinating interactions in our oceans, but it serves as a reminder of the reasons why we pursue wildlife conservation. What it gives back, in return, is a powerful reminder of the fragile, breathtaking balance of species in their native landscapes. Drucker’s video and photographs have quickly gone viral, capturing with absolutely stunning, heart pounding images and footage to this eye-popping encounter so vividly.
As a wildlife photographer, Drucker—and the film’s other contributing creatives—is used to seducing the camera to get the beauty and the drama of the natural world. As you may guess from this experience, wildlife interactions are never guaranteed. At the same time, it shares the breathtaking encounters that you can experience in wild places, such as the Salish Sea.