Orcas are instinctively very social creatures which live in pods that range in number from a few whales up to twenty or more. But, as in every place where life thrives, there are those who set out on their own journey against the fray, challenging perceptions and long-held beliefs. Such is the case of Old Thom, a bull orca who has been spotted by himself in the Gulf of Maine since 2006. He is identifiable by a distinct notch in his dorsal fin, and he has never been seen with a pod of other orcas. He is also the only orca to be sighted regularly in New England waters. Occasionally, however, Old Thom will be seen with a pod of dolphins, hunting and swimming playfully alongside of them. 

Old Thom is a bit of an anomaly. It is not uncommon to see an orca by itself every now and again; they will occasionally break away from their group to find a new pod. This is because orca pods are matriarchal; they stay with their pod-mates and mother, hunt together, and grow together. But bull orcas will often leave the pod to avoid inbreeding, to find a new pod, or to hunt alone and return later. During such time they may be spotted alone but rarely does that last. In short, it is uncommon for an orca to choose a solitary life solely, yet that is just what Old Thom has done. While some male orcas may choose to make their own life journey alone for a short time, Old Thom has been documented as living by himself ever since his first sighting in 2006. Subsequent sightings of him by himself in 2010, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 have confirmed his solitary lifestyle.  

It is unknown why Old Thom has chosen this lifestyle; he’s not the first orca documented to have lived this way. But the one thing that is certain is that Old Thom rules the New England waves, and in choosing to inhabit these waters by himself with his dolphin friends occasionally tagging along, he is the undisputed orca king of the Gulf of Maine. He was last seen with a pod of dolphins in the Stellwagen Bank off Cape Cod last month.