Drone footage shared on social media by Hebrides Cruises shows two of the predators pulling apart the dolphin, as the group claimed that they were “unaware of any records” showing orcas outwith the Hebrides in inshore waters.
The pod also had a small orca calf in tow, and the footage has been deemed “invaluable for conservation and identification”, as the cruise operator’s focus is now on working with marine researchers.
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Posting the earlier footage of the pod of five orca, Hebrides Cruises said: “We are still in absolute shock. In all our years on the water, we have never witnessed anything like this.
“Around 4pm, we got a message from our head guide, Lynsey Bland, heading home, who had just spotted a pod of Orca off a Calmac ferry as it was passing Lady Rock.
“Just 30 minutes from our departure port near Oban, we encountered a pod of 5 orcas. We watched in awe as they hunted common dolphins at incredible speeds, eventually making a successful catch right before our eyes, while continuing the chase. Nature in its rawest, most powerful form.”
On Friday, we reported that more than 30 orcas had been spotted swimming past the north of Scotland during the previous week.
Volunteers taking part in the Sea Watch Foundation’s annual Orca Watch spotted the marine mammals in the waters around Caithness.
Orcas, also known as Killer Whales, are infrequent visitors to Scottish waters, but their appearance has led to some close encounters.
People taking part are given training in how to spot the whale species and other marine mammals, and this year they recorded 35 sightings.
All confirmed ‘killer whale’ sightings are recorded in the Foundation’s online database.