Old Tom (killer whale)
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Old Tom (c. 1895 – 17 September 1930) was the name given to an orca by whalers in the port of Eden on the southeast coast of Australia. Old Tom measured 22 feet (6.7 m) and weighed 6 tons. The skull measured 1.02 m and the teeth measured about 5.31 inches (13.4 cm). Old Tom was thought to be the leader of a pod of killer whales who helped the whalers by herding baleen whales into Twofold Bay.[1] The killer whales would help kill the whales; in return, the whalers allowed the killer whales to eat the tongues and the lips of the baleen whales, an agreement known as the Law of the Tongue.
On 17 September 1930, Old Tom was found dead in Twofold Bay. Before his death Old Tom had been thought to be over 80 years old,[2] but on examination of the remains this estimate was reduced to about 35 years.[3] However, this method of age determination is now believed to be inaccurate for older animals.
Old Tom's bones were preserved and his skeleton is now on display in the Eden Killer Whale Museum.[4]
Notes
External links
- Killers of Eden
- Eden Killer Whale Museum
- Whaling History, Sapphire Coast
- Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre, a project to develop and build a public Marine Education and Research Centre
- Whaling History, Sapphire Coast Tourism, af enterprise of Bega Valley Shire Council
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