Local News
The orca, recognizable because of its unique dorsal fin, is periodically seen swimming alone off the Cape and Islands.
Old Thom off the coast of Chatham in 2024. Paul van Steensel
For more than a decade, researchers and fishermen have periodically spotted a curious sight in the waters off Massachusetts: a solitary orca with a distinctive notch in its dorsal fin. That animal, known as “Old Thom,” was seen again this week.
The Cape Cod-based Sureshot Charters posted a video of an orca to Facebook that appears to be Old Thom based on its dorsal fin and the fact that it was seen swimming alone. The orca was seen while a fishing charter was out looking for tuna. Sureshot Charters could not be reached for more information Friday.
Orcas, or killer whales, can be found in all of the world’s oceans but are most abundant in the colder waters of the north Pacific, north Atlantic, or near Antarctica. Several orca populations are known to exist in the northwestern Atlantic, off Canada. This is where researchers from the New England Aquarium encountered Old Thom in 2015, after which they posted a video close-up view of the animal.
Old Thom has been seen around Cape Cod numerous times before, including in 2016, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The most recent sighting occurred last August, when a fishing charter ran into Old Thom near Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
In January, a fisherman reported an orca sighting 40 miles off the Gulf of Maine, The Boothbay Register reported. Experts could not confirm that sighting was of Old Thom but said that it likely was the famous orca.
Orcas are highly social animals that usually live in groups led by elder females. These groups can develop complex cultures of their own, with unique diets and dialects. Old Thom, on the other hand, is usually found swimming alone or alongside smaller dolphins.
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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