Killer whales return

Residents of Kodiak, Alaska are seeing some familiar faces in local harbours. A transient pod of killer whales is back for their annual visit, searching for Steller sea lions to feast on.

Kate Wynne, marine mammal specialist for the University of Alaska Fairbanks marine advisory program says it is the same pod that comes in about now and stays until April.

The group includes six animals, including a calf born last autumn and two juveniles. One distinctive member is a large bull whale that has a peculiar bent-over dorsal fin which is thought to be a stress-related phenomenon but no-one knows why this happens.