Orca Pod Helps Disabled Member Survive

Recently we shared a video of an orca off the coast of Port Elizabeth, South Africa with a missing pectoral and dorsal fin. Here is an article about how the orca's family help it to survive, with stunning photography (copyright Rainer Schimpf / Barcroft Media).

Photographer Rainer says, "Incapable of fast hunting and ambushing prey it has to be dependent on the pod which, one assumes, looks after it very well." The pod consists of five females and a large male. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2326868/Disabled-killer-whale-missing-fins-survives-help-family-hunt-food.html

David Kirby (author of 'Death at SeaWorld') has taken a look at WHY orcas may do this instead of choosing to abandon their disabled mates.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/05/19/killer-whales-take-care-their-own#.UZlb6mhIbxs.twitter

A permanently disabled orca known as Stumpy has been cared for by his pod mates for years - have a read of this article by Candace Calloway Whiting.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/candacewhiting/tag/stumpy-the-killer-whale/