Here are SOME of the views you may encounter
on our Eagle Eye Adventures!
Sea Lions
You'll often see these guys basking in the sun
on rocky outcrops and making a symphony of loud barking
noises. Sea lions are carnivores. They eat fish, squid,
crabs, clams and even seals. They also can swim up to
40 km (25 miles) an hour and swim down 600 feet (180 meters)!
Killer Whales
The Killer whale is the largest member of the
dolphin family. The Orca can grow to a length of 7m (23ft)
and weigh 4-5000 kg in the male and 6.6m (21ft) 2.5-3000kg
in the female.
Despite it's name, the killer whale has never hurt a person
in the wild. It is inquisitive and approachable and aggression
within a pod is rare. The pod is a close-knit family group
and is stable from one generation to the next. Its members
usually stay together for life. When two or more pods
come together temporarily the group is called a "superpod"
and may number more than 150 whales.
The Orca is a versatile predator and has one of the most
varied diets of all whales. Although it has been observed
feeding upon penguins, seals, porpoise and large baleen
whales its reputation for doing so is probably exaggerated.
For most populations of Killer whales the diet appears
to be primarily fish such as salmon and cod, and squid.
Other Names: Orca, Great Killer Whale, Grampus
Bald Eagles
Bald eagles live near bodies of water to be close to their
favorite food-fish! No need for a fishing pole-bald eagles
come equipped with spiny scales and sharp talons on their
toes for gripping slippery fish. A hungry eagle will wait
on its favorite perch until it spies a fat fish near the
surface. It can swoop down on the water and quickly grab
a fish with those special feet. Then, holding tight, the
eagle flies back to its nest or a convenient perch in
a tree to enjoy its meal. A powerful, hooked beak helps
the eagle rip into its food. When fish are scarce, bald
eagles will hunt rabbits, squirrels, other birds, and
even young deer. They have also been known to steal food
from other birds!
If someone says you have eagle eyes, take it as a compliment!
It means you can see things that others might not notice.
Bald eagles can see four to seven times better than humans!
Black Bears
The black bear is approximately 5 to 6 feet from head
to tail, and two to three feet high at the withers. The
black bear varies in weight. Males from 125 to 550 pounds,
and females from 90 to 300 pounds. The largest known black
bear weighed 802.5 pounds. The oldest known black bear
was 30 years old. It has small eyes, rounded ears, a long
snout, a large body, and a short tail. The shaggy hair
varies in color from white through chocolate brown, cinnamon
brown, and blonde to black, but most black bears are indeed
black or a darker shade of brown. Black bears have poor
eyesight, good hearing, and a great sense of smell.
Except for breeding and raising young, black bears are
generally shy, retiring, solitary animals. They try to
avoid humans and are considered non-aggressive except
when injured, protecting their young, or protecting themselves.
Black bears are carnivores, however they act like omnivores,
with only one quarter of their diet being meat. They mostly
eat plants and other vegetable matter.
Minke Whales
Minke whales (like all baleen whales) are seasonal
feeders and carnivores. They sieve through the ocean water
with their baleen. They filters out small polar plankton,
krill, and small fish, even chasing schools of sardines,
anchovies, cod, herring, and capelin. They have the same
diet as blue whales. Minke whales either travel singly
or congregated in small pods of about 2-3 whales.
Minke whales can dive for up to 20-25 minutes, but usually
make shorter dives, lasting about 10-12 minutes. They
normally swim 3-16 mph (4.8-25 kph), but can go up to
18-21 mph (29-34 kph) in bursts when in danger. Feeding
speeds are slower, about 1-6 mph (1.6-9.8 kph). The largest
minke whale was about 35 feet (10.5 m) long weighing 9.5
tons (8.6 tonnes).
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