Incredible footage has emerged of an orca family frolicking in the shallows of Houhora Harbour last weekend.
The video was captured from a drone operated by an overseas visitor to the Houhora Heads Wagener Holiday Park, nestled in the very far north of New Zealand, just below Cape Reinga.
/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 320w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/eo5Clyhq8HwiqwCDv7W4BwUq3xc=/375x244/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 375w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/POys3vPHOR_zzbkIjfRsp1iOX0o=/660x429/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 660w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lQRLzDySGhtsVJ-QDci4yb-Rz3E=/810x526/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 810w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/dfBmjn6Rl5ymlhkQ3UAQk5MX-qU=/970x630/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 970w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/i5zMUh15slfWVOGS4QjrdoKAtwM=/1440x936/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 1440w)
/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 320w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/eo5Clyhq8HwiqwCDv7W4BwUq3xc=/375x244/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 375w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/sLbggQUqRPHdjZZ52IX63OghmIU=/620x403/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GI3KZHJ5LRGV3HKT6UDZYRPZRU.jpg 620w)
The video shows what appears to be a large male, a female and a calf playing in the turquoise waters of this Northland paradise. They swim in formation, then the smaller two animals turn off and begin to play around.
The larger whale is slow to catch on, but soon turns to catch the others and all three twist and turn around each other, frequently breaking the surface of the crystal-clear water.
/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 320w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/4AKgrzcTM4yQORuhJnQcTpG6kxk=/375x253/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 375w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/txTs1hCvP0kp0_L-jYxHALR4CJ8=/660x446/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 660w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/vACkv9XEoAdi8e13G5FtJAsM6U4=/810x547/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 810w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/tiZYZPdUZ29uFJIQQ34LRea1G50=/970x655/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 970w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/GrUtAXRzYrdnC1uxu4aCH09b1DY=/1440x972/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 1440w)
/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 320w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/4AKgrzcTM4yQORuhJnQcTpG6kxk=/375x253/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 375w,https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/n8fSXLuxnc2q-3omuoMozFI9dns=/620x419/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDWWHWXRWZC5RPGCEG5I5B5FAM.jpg 620w)
The camera follows them for a short while, before leaving these majestic beasts to carry on undisturbed in their natural habitat: an iconic scene of New Zealand summer.