A local whale and bird watching tour group is facing some backlash after sharing a moment involving a pod of orcas online.

O’Brien’s Whale and Bird Tours shared a video on Facebook showing a pod of orcas swimming near their boat but some people are saying they got a little too close, even going as far as to comment on the video with questions and concerns about the treatment of the wildlife.

The tour company released another statement addressing those concerns saying that one short video did not tell the whole story. They stressed the fact that the whales were in control of the interaction and chose to come as close as they did. O’Brien’s says it followed all appropriate protocol, including idling the boat engine when the pod swam up.

The company states that “for over 40 years, we have been stewards of the marine environment and we follow marine mammal regulations, the safety of wildlife is of the utmost importance to us.”