Orcas Smash Sunfish into Pieces in Rare Hunt

Scientists have captured rare footage of orcas in the Gulf of California smashing a sunfish into thousands of tiny pieces.

The footage shows a female orca holding the tail fin of a recently killed sunfish while a male orca swims towards it at high speed and strikes it with such force that the fish breaks into countless small pieces.

Dr. Kathryn Ayres, a marine biologist, observed that after the fish was smashed apart, the adult orcas fed on the remaining body while younger members of the group began eating the scattered pieces.

This behavior could help make the meat easier to eat and allow nutrients to become more accessible.

Alternatively, it could simply be for fun, as orcas are known to play with their prey.

Dr. Ayres is interested in collecting more high-quality footage to better understand their behavior.