Who let Shamu out?? (Dec. 22 Peninsula Beacon, Page 7.) Good news if he really made the break, but I don’t see what the caption’s title has to do with Jim Grant’s photo. The marine mammal pictured looks to be a common dolphin (Delphinus sp.). For comparison, I’ve attached two photos and list here links to two pages from the American Cetacean Society’s website: www.acsonline.org/factpack/common.htm and www.acsonline.org/fact-pack/KillerWhale.htm (note, for example, where the white patch lies on each in relation to the dorsal fin). Also, please help us readers with the [photo caption] statement, “Fortunately, no incidents have been reported involving the orca.” Be it orca or common dolphin, what can this mean? Were some boaters chasing the animal and, therefore, breaching (no pun intended) the Marine Mammal Protection Act? Did someone try to jump overboard for a closer look? Thanks for any light you can shed on this troublesome mystery. Judith Garfield La Jolla — Editor’s note: Not everyone is quick to agree a shot taken by staff photographer Jim Grant (published in the Dec. 22 Peninsula Beacon, Page 7) is really a killer whale off the coast of the Peninsula. It appears from a layman’s standpoint that it could be an orca but, of course, The Beacon can’t independently or scientifically verify the belief one way or another. On the surface (no pun intended), if the species was misidentified in the course of publishing what seemed like simply a fun and highly unusual sighting, it was not intentional. In any case, some of our readers below weighed in and gave their take on the photo so you may judge for yourself.
