1 month ago

Orcas Use New Hunting Technique to Explode Sunfish

Orcas Use New Hunting Technique to Explode Sunfish
Watch: Killer Whale Rams 1,800Kg Sunfish So Hard It Explodes Into Pieces · NDTV

Scientists have discovered a new way that orcas, also known as killer whales, hunt for food.

They found that orcas work together to slam into giant sunfish, which are very big and heavy fish, with such force that the fish explode into many pieces.

This was seen in two different places in the ocean near Mexico.

One of the scientists, Kathryn Ayres, was very surprised when she saw this happen because she had never seen anything like it before.

The orcas use teamwork to catch their food, and this new method shows how smart and creative they can be.

Some scientists think this might be a new way for the orcas to hunt, while others think it might just be playful behavior.

They want to learn more about it.

Key facts

Date of First Incident
July 29, 2024
Location of Incidents
Mexican Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California
Research Journal
Frontiers in Ethology
Sunfish Weight
Over 1,800 kilograms
Sunfish Length
Up to three meters
Researcher
Kathryn Ayres
Organization
Beneath the Waves

Quotes

Kathryn Ayres

Lead study author and research scientist with Beneath the Waves

“I had previously seen orcas working together to ram a whale shark, but watching a giant sunfish break apart into countless pieces was unlike anything I had seen before.”
NDTV

Sources

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