Sheikh Hamdan shares video of orcas in Dubai waters

Crown Prince of Dubai posts footage of the marine mammals at Jebel Ali, a day after two sighted off Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed shared footage of two orcas swimming off Dubai. Photo: Sheikh Hamdan / Instagram

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed has shared footage of a pair of orcas swimming off Dubai.

The Crown Prince of Dubai said on Instagram that a sea creature was spotted in Jebel Ali on Wednesday.

He posted a short clip of a distinctive black-and-white mammal in the stories section of his account, which has more than 15 million followers.

The footage appears to show a second orca following close behind, but largely underwater for much of the recording.

“An orca was found today in Jebel Ali,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote on the post.

Sightings of orcas — also known as killer whales — are not common in the UAE and they have made a splash in the country this week.

Orcas sighted in Abu Dhabi waters

Fisherman captured remarkable footage of a pair of orcas surrounding a dugong sea cow off the coast of Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The public has been warned against swimming in the sea for the next two days due to the continued presence of one of the orcas.

While killer whales are not normally considered a threat to human beings, the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency urged people not to approach the orcas, which are among the most well-travelled of marine wildlife.

“Orcas are usually not a threat to humans, however, we urge the public to keep a safe distance when spotting [them] and alert the Abu Dhabi government call centre on 800555,” the agency said on Instagram.

The agency added that although the latest sighting is rare, orcas are not infrequent visitors to Abu Dhabi waters.

It is not clear if the orcas discovered in Dubai are the same two sighted near the capital.

It is not the first time Sheikh Hamdan has marked the arrival of orcas off the emirate.

A video of a killer whale swimming around Dubai Marina that was shared by Sheikh Hamdan in January 2022 helped environmentalists track a pod 24km from shore.