KUALA TERENGGANU, July 17 — A pair of Orca or Killer Whale appeared, believed to be for the first time, in Terengganu waters, near the Pelantar Dulang Petronas oil drilling platform, off Kerteh, yesterday.

The sighting of the whales was recorded by some of Petronas staff there.

Rantau Abang Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), Marine Mammals branch head, Mohd Tamimi Ali Ahmad, in a statement, confirmed that the mammals sighted by the Petronas staff were Orca whales.

"Based on records at the Rantau Abang FRI or the Malaysian Fisheries Department, the Orca Whale has never appeared in Terengganu and the date, July 16, 2019, is historic as it was the first time the mammal was seen in Terengganu waters.

"We believe the two marine mammals are a pair (male and female),” he said.

The whales are estimated to be between six and eight metres long and weigh between 5,000 and 6,000 kilogrammes each.

Mohd Tamimi Ali said the Orca Whale is much feared as it is at the top of the list of predators in the marine eco-system food chain and it feeds on squids, turtles, seabirds, sharks and other marine mammals, including seals and dolphins.

He said the whale is a protected species and anyone and any sighting of the mammal should be reported to the state or district fisheries office. — Bernama