(Photo : Wikimedia Commons/Callan Carpenter)
Killer whales strategically attack their prey. Researchers learned that they even work together and use a violent hunting strategy to accomplish their mission.
Killer Whales Practice Violent Hunting Techniques
A new study learned that the killer whales in Monterey Bay hunt their prey violently. They hunted by headbutting, stubbing their target with their tail, and even throwing the prey into the air.
Since 2006, a group of experts has been researching a particular subset of these ferocious creatures, and they have discovered that these whales would consume anything and anything, including sea lions, seagulls, elephant seals, and grey whale babies. They will also employ whatever means necessary to catch their prey.
Images taken in the wild depict a group of apex predators banding together to murder and devour a grey whale calf after the mother separated from the youngster. Another image shows an orca hurling a dolphin into the air like a rag doll.
These discoveries provide a unique window into the lives of these subpopulations of killer whales, who are mostly unknown to science and primarily hunt mammals in open waters.
Researchers discovered that sea lions comprise over 48% of the kills made by killer whales in Monterey Bay, making them their primary source of food. A killer whale was also seen stunning an elephant seal with a forceful tail slap in one of the sightings.
The second most prevalent victim, accounting for around 22% of killer whale kills in Monterey Bay, were grey whale calves. The massive elephant seal, which may weigh up to 9,000 pounds, was the third most common. Approximately seven percent of their kills consisted of this huge species.
Researchers discovered that the whales' hunting tactics varied based on whether they were scavenging the wide ocean or looking for food in underwater gorges.
They dispersed and moved erratically in open water, maybe to cover more ground and make it more difficult for prey to anticipate their movements.
However, they traveled discreetly in the canyon, and scientists believe that because of the water's movement, they are able to hear the movement of prey. They can also hunt on their own.
Starboard Rips Great White Shark in Minutes
It was assumed that Port and Starboard, the notorious orcas or killer whales, always worked together when hunting great whites. However, new footage showed Starboard attacking an 8.2-foot juvenile shark solo and getting its liver in just two minutes.
Alison Towner, a shark researcher at Rhodes University who has been searching for additional information about this strange behavior, called the experience "astonishing."
Orcas are intelligent, gregarious animals that usually hunt in packs using complex tactics. They typically hunt in packs, pursuing enormous prey such as seals, sea lions, and even various species of whales.
According to Towner, killer whales have been known to hunt large predators like sharks, even though it's usually a group effort. She went on to say that they had no idea how quick and shrewd Starboard's scheme was.
In the said case, the white shark was less than 2.5 meters. Therefore, Starboard presumably had an easier time hunting it on its own. The sighting provided proof of at least one killer whale hunting alone, refuting the area's well-known cooperative hunting practices.
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