Guests were skeptical as the Sea Hawk departed Roche Harbor in attempts of finding killer whales because there were no reports. However, not even 20 minutes into the trip the guests came up on a spur of the moment siting of T-124c, otherwise known as a lone transient killer whale male! Killer whale pods tend to travel as a family unit with mom and/or grandma as the leader; however, transients are also more likely to stray away from this organization, opposed to our residents. We have seen transients traveling with other matriarchal pods or alone. There is some scientific speculation that states that transients travel in optimal groups of three - the mom and her two offspring. However, when a third is born the oldest and youngest will remain with its mom, while the others leave. T-124c is the third offspring so this scientific speculation would suggest that perhaps a calf was born, or he was simply traveling alone.
This brings up the question - what is the difference between transients and residents that might allow this behavior difference? Well transients and residents have not breed with one another in over 100 years, in addition they have different diets, behavioral norms and language from one another.
