Wildlife lovers have had an absolute treat these past few days after two Orcas were spotted swimming off the south coast of Cornwall.

Also known as killer whales, the two males, John Coe and Aquarius are the last remaining members of the West Coast Community pod.

The bulls were seen off Lizard Point on Wednesday and filmed by the TV presenter, Steve Backshall.

Captain Keith Leeves came across the orca brothers about six miles out in Falmouth Bay, while skippering a wildlife cruise. Describing them as “the last of their kind”, he said the experience had brought him to tears.

In the 1990s, the pod included 10 orcas and they were frequently spotted around the UK and Ireland.  Since 2016, when a female nicknamed Lulu was found dead in the Inner Hebrides, only John Cos and Aquarius have been spotted.  The brothers are thought to be around 60 years old.

The brothers were last seen off the west coast of Cornwall in May 2021.

The orca, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. It is recognizable by its distinct pigmentation, being mostly black on top, white on the bottom and having recognizable white eye patches. 

The popular fictional film Free Willy properly brought Orca’s into the public’s consciousness in 1993 and spotters have eagerly sought them out ever since.