Old Tom (orca)

Old Tom (c. 1860s/1895 – September 1930) was a male orca (killer whale) who cooperated with and assisted whalers in the port of Eden, New South Wales, on the southeast coast of Australia. Old Tom was believed to be the leader of a pod of orcas which helped the whalers by herding baleen whales into Twofold Bay. This pod was also known as "the killers of Eden". On 17 September 1930, Old Tom was found dead in Twofold Bay. Before his death, he was thought to be over 90 years old, assisting three generations of the Davidson family whalers. Examination of his teeth indicated he died around age 35, but 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. Old Tom measured 22 feet (6.7 m) and weighed 12,000 pounds (6 tons), with a 3.33 ft (1.01 m) skull and teeth about 5.31 inches (135 mm) long.