NANTUCKET – Four orca whales were spotted 40 miles off the coast of Nantucket this week, which marine animal experts say speaks to the diverse ecosystem of the Cape and Islands region.
Center for Coastal Studies Director of the Right Whale Ecology Program Dr. Charles Stormy Mayo says that orcas used to be a frequent sight around the Cape and Islands’ coast in past decades.
However, as tuna populations dropped, whale counts dwindled locally.
Though nicknamed ‘Killer Whales’, Mayo said the animals pose no threat to humans.
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