Pod of orcas swimming in harbour thrill Wellingtonians

Wellington residents have been left delighted by a pod of orcas who decided to cruise into town.

Around seven orcas were spotted venturing around the harbour, with local Craig Baxter filming them at Evans Bay, near Oriental Parade.

The orca-alert quickly went off on Twitter, with multiple residents sharing their sightings.

"Full credit to the skipper of the @metlinkwgtn East West ferry for stopping the boat so we could have more orca joy on the way back to Wellington," one woman tweeted.

If you do come across the orcas, it's best to keep your distance as they're protected under New Zealand law.

People shouldn't swim any closer than 100m to them and boats shouldn't approach closer than 50m, while harming, harassing or killing orcas risks a fine of up to $250,000 or two years in jail.

According to the Department of Conservation, orcas frequently visit Wellington to catch and devour stingray.

Newshub.