Scientists finally know the clever tricks orca use to hunt whale sharks
For the first time, scientists have captured video evidence of orcas cooperatively hunting whale sharks, the largest species of fish on Earth. This graphic footage proves that whale sharks are a regular part of some orcas’ diets, and solves the mystery of how they are able to kill the massive fish.
World’s Largest Fish Flipped And Drained Of Blood By Specialist Shark-Hunting Orcas
Orcas have been up to all sorts of things in 2024 – from sinking boats to reinstating fashion trends, these super-intelligent marine predators often make the news. While they have been up to some more wholesome antics,
Killer whales invent unique ways to hunt giant whale sharks
A pod of killer whales has developed "unique" skills to hunt the world’s biggest fish. The orcas have been spotted in the Gulf of California hunting whale sharks - which grow up to 18 meters (59 ft) long - in "coordinated" attacks.
Orcas have learned how to hunt and kill huge whale sharks, video shows
Off the coast of Mexico, scientists have observed a pod of killer whales adapting new skills to help them hunt these docile giants of the sea.
Killer whale pod develops unique technique to hunt world's largest fish
In the attacks, caught on video between 2018 and 2024, the orcas killed young whale sharks that gathered in the Gulf of California to feed.
Killer Whales Hunt and Feast on the Largest Fish On Earth
Whale sharks are gentle, filter-feeding giants, but orcas in Mexican waters were documented attacking the animals and devouring their livers.
Orcas attacking whale sharks: the impressive hunting strategy led by Moctezuma in Mexico
A male orca named Moctezuma participated in three out of the four documented attacks between 2018 and 2024 in the Gulf of Mexico: "It's impressive how they work in a strategic and intelligent way to access only a very specific area of the prey.
Orcas Are Now Hunting Whale Sharks For Their Livers
Orcas are endlessly fascinating creatures. Their antics have been the focus of the internet's interest in recent years. Now, they're hunting whale sharks.
Orcas observed preying on massive whale sharks
The method of hunting may imply that some orcas in the Gulf of California have acquired a special set of skills–like going after the ventral side of young whale sharks–that help them prey on these enormous fish. Orcas may have learned to do the same thing in other parts of the world, but evidence is limited, according to the team.
Images reveal how an orca pod hunts the world’s largest fish
Orcas off the coast of Mexico have devised a cunning strategy to hunt and kill whale sharks, and marine scientists have documented the behavior for the first time.
Videos capture orcas’ tricks for taking down the largest fish on Earth
Four videos of orca hunting sprees, the earliest from 2018 and the latest from 2024, suggest that an orca pod in the Gulf of California is specializing in hunting sharks and their relatives, researchers say.
Killer Whales Target The Largest Fish On Earth In Coordinated Attacks
Another killer whale hits the ventral side of the whale shark. Kelsey Williamson. In the sunlit waters of the Gulf of ...
Killer Whales Caught Harvesting Organs From Largest Fish in the Sea
Researchers have documented killer whales working as a team to prey on whale sharks in the Gulf of California.