Old Tom

Old Tom in Twofold Bay ( c 1910). Photograph by C E Wellings, provided by the Eden Killer Whale Museum.

### Cause of Death

Starvation
Abscess

## Physical Traits

### Lengths

* 21.9ft
* 5.8ft (dorsal fin)

### Population

Killers of Eden

Old Tom *(pronounced əʊld tɒm)* was an adult male Australian killer whale.

## History in Eden

Sightings of Old Tom were first reported during the 1860s, but he was more well known by the Davidson's, a family that had moved to Eden for whaling. Through three generations, Old Tom was accounted for up until his death in 1930. He was apart of Hooky's sub pod, which consisted of seven other orcas total. However, within the Eden region an approximate total of 30 animals had been sighted during hunts, with 26 of them named.

Tom was known well by the Davidson's, especially George Davidson, the grandson of Alexander Davidson, who had immigrated from Scotland. Accounts from the family tell of Old Tom being a prankster and an active participant during hunts. These hunts of Baleen whales, primarily Humpbacks, would have the town on edge and watching the spectacle from the shores. Tom was known for grabbing anchor and mooring lines, which came to wear down the right side of his teeth, resulting in a groove.

## Death

On 17th September 1930, Old Tom was found deceased in Snug Cove, Eden by two fishermen. They initially didn't report their find and as a result the township of Eden soon discovered their beloved whale in the following hours. George Davidson positively ID'd his companion, and initially had planned to tow the body back out to sea. However, his friend suggested they take the body and preserve the skeleton instead and to that Davidson agreed.

Old Tom's death was a result of starvation caused by an abscess. A recount from seven years prior to his death explains that Tom's teeth had been lost and damaged after interfering with a hunt led by George Davidson and his friend John Logan.

## Legacy

Following Tom's death, the Eden Killer Whale Museum was instated the following year in 1931. Tom and his former pod members are an. Tom's skeleton remains are currently on display within the museum, with additional information about him and his former comrades. The museum also focuses on the immediate history of the area of Eden and Twofold Bay, detailing the whaling industry from the 1820s until 1929.

In 2004, an ABC documentary titled "Killers in Eden" was released, focusing on the story of Old Tom and the killers of Eden, describing the relationship between the killer whales, the Indigenous Australian whalers and the Davidson family.

Opening in early 2022, the National Museum of Australia will exhibit its new gallery *Great Southern Land*, which features sections on the Killers of Eden. The gallery itself will feature three, life size models of Old Tom, Humpy, and Kinscher.

## References

1. ↑ Clode, D. (2002). Killers In Eden: The True Story of Killer Whales and their Remarkable Partnership with the Whalers of Twofold Bay. Allen & Unwin.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mead, T. (2002). Killers of Eden the Killer Whales of Twofold Bay. Dolphin Books.
3. ↑ The king of the killers. (2010, September 16). The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/the-king-of-the-killers-20100916-15er7.html
4. ↑ Begaville in Eden New South Wales 1900. (2020, June 3). Eden Killer Whale Museum. http://killerwhalemuseum.com.au/information/historic-sites/ekwm/.
5. ↑ Killers in Eden (2004) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia. (n.d.). Screen Australia. https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/killers-in-eden-2004/21255/
6. ↑ Scroope, S. (2022, January 4). Orca whales installation. National Museum of Australia. https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/blog/orca-whales-installation