 | ||
Old Tom (c. 1895 – 17 September 1930) was the name given to a killer whale (orca) by whalers in the port of Eden on the southeast coast of Australia. Old Tom measured 22 feet (6.7 m) and weighed 6 tons. The skull measured 1.02 m and the teeth measured about 5.31 inches (13.4 cm). Old Tom was thought to be the leader of a pod of killer whales which helped the whalers by herding baleen whales into Twofold Bay. The killer whales helped kill the whales; in return, the whalers allowed the killer whales to eat the tongues and the lips of the baleen whales, an agreement known as the "Law of the Tongue".
On 17 September 1930, Old Tom was found dead in Twofold Bay. Before his death, he had been thought to be over 80 years old. On examination of the remains, this estimate was reduced to about 35 years.
Old Tom's bones were preserved and his skeleton is now on display in the Eden Killer Whale Museum.