Newborn orca calf spotted playing with pod in Moray Firth

A newborn orca calf has been spotted played with its pod in the North Sea.

The orange-tinted baby was accompanied by four older killer whales as it played in the Moray Firth, near Duncansbayhead, Caithness.

Wildlife enthusiast Karen Munro, 44, travels around Scotland from her home in Thurso, in the Highlands, hoping to catch sight of the astonishing creatures.

She couldn’t believe her eyes on Sunday when they came between ten and 20 metres of where she was standing.

The pod of four adullts and one calf were spotted in the Moray Firth. Karen Munro via SWNS

Mother-of-one Karen said: “I’m part of a Facebook group full of orca enthusiasts like myself, where we recommend vantage points to each other.

“I got alerted to a sighting of a pod in the Duncansbay area on Sunday, so I went up to see if I could spot them.

“I went to two areas, but the orcas were about a mile away, so it was too far to get a decent sight of them.

“When I went to the third spot, on a bit of a cliff, I couldn’t believe my luck when the pod came between ten and 20 metres away.

The Orcas came within ten to 20 metres of Karen Munro. Karen Munro via SWNS

“They were swimming and using the tide to glide on the water.

“I was thrilled to get such a close-up, it was a pod we don’t know a lot about.

“It was extra special to see a young wee baby amongst it.

“There’s a wee calf with a slightly orange tint, I would guess it’s only a couple of months old.

“Five of us have worked together to put a catalogue together off all the orcas we spot and their markings, so it was great to get this new group added.”