THIS is the jaw-dropping moment a brawl breaks out between a pod of killer whales and a pair of 35-tonne humpbacks.
The rare encounter, filmed in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, near Seattle, shows the humpbacks clashing with a group of Bigg's orcas- known to prey on seals, sea lions and humpback calves.
Mollie Naccarato, who works for whale watching tour agency Sooke Coastal Explorations, captured the unusual battle on video,
She told KING: "I've loved whales my whole life, so I cried three times yesterday on the boat.
"Even doing this every day, things like that just truly take your breath away."
Naccarato explained that they were Bigg's transient orcas who are known to eat seals, sea lions and humpback calves.
She added: "There was definitely a lot of harassing each other.
The humpbacks were identified as Hydra, from Hawaii, and Reaper, from Mexico.
Researchers believe that in spite of being just two of them, it is possible they struck first.
Erin Johns Gless, executive director for Pacific Whale Watch Association said there have been past incidents of humpbacks harassing orcas hunting prey.
She said: "There have been a few occasions in recent years that our naturalists have seen humpback whales come to the rescue of other animals, like sea lions, that were being chased by orcas."
In a previous incident humpback Valient, who was possibly attacked by an orca in the past, was seen acting aggressively near a pod of Bigg's orcas.
It comes as a great white shark was found with its “organs sucked out” on a New Zealand beach after a suspected orca attack.
Last month, a 13ft great white shark ambushed a humpback in a horrific attack off the coast of South Africa.
