In this ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ encounter with endangered Southern Resident orca whales off the coast of Washington state, the playful killer whales make incredible movements to impress a dog on board the boat. The most engaged whale, an adult female, even turned upside down and flipped water on them with her fluke. But the most apparent connection was with the yellow Labrador retriever who excitedly watched the scene.
Kate and Jaycee Butler couldn’t believe their eyes on this Sunday as they witnessed the unbelievable encounter included in this video with the whales. But the Butlers’ dog, Sailor, seemed to get all the focus from the intrigued sea mammals. And he returned the interest as he wagged his tail and looked on.
‘He didn’t bark throughout this whole encounter, and Sailor barks at everything,’ Kate Butler said. ‘He was so excited that when we got off the boat, he peed for 10 minutes.’
Everyone who was near the San Juan Islands that weekend experience a ‘super-pod day’ as they got an unbelievable encounter with the majestic creatures. ‘We’ve been coming out here almost every day, every summer for 40 years, and we don’t think we’ll ever see anything like this again,’ Jaycee Butler said.
‘The orca is looking at the dog and the people, there is no question,’ said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a killer whale researcher. ‘she is definitely checking them out.’ Check out this spectacular footage in the video we have posted for you below.
