Orcas (orsinus orca) may be a much fiercer predator than we think. Scientists have discovered killer whales that have learned to hunt whale sharks.lincodone types), the largest fish in the world.
Marine biologists have recorded previously unidentified behavior among killer whales in the southern Gulf of California, waters between the Mexican state and the country. They found evidence of several whale shark attacks over a six-year period. Most of them involved one particular male orca known as Moctezuma. Although much is still unknown about this phenomenon, research suggests that these killer whales may have acquired and passed on unique knowledge that allowed them to take down their massive prey.
Despite having a friendly reputation through TV shows and movies, killer whale Known as apex predators wherever they live, they hunt a variety of fish, rays, and marine mammals, including other dolphins. Orcas have also been recorded hunting a variety of sharks, including great whites, but not whale sharks, animals that pose a significant challenge to predators. Killer whales are the largest members of the dolphin family, but are still much larger than whale sharks. The average adult orca is about 6 meters long and weighs 6 tons. average whale shark They can reach 13.7 meters (45 feet) in length and weigh up to 20 tons (some whale sharks are even more massive).
Adult whale sharks are not thought to have any natural predators, but younger and smaller whale sharks are sometimes hunted by sharks and other large fish. Whale sharks, including juveniles, have been seen feeding in the Gulf of California, and there have been anecdotal reports of orcas hunting them in the area.(even adults). But this new study published Friday in the diary Frontier of marine scienceThis is the first time we have confirmed the report.
Marine biologist Erick Higuera Rivas and his colleagues collected photographic and video evidence from the public and scientists detailing four hunting incidents that occurred between 2018 and 2024. They found that killer whales work together systematically to weaken and ultimately kill large prey by concentrating on one individual. A specific part of the whale shark’s body, namely the pelvis.
“We show how killer whales demonstrate cooperative hunting skills. whale sharkCharacterized by a concentrated attack on the pelvic area whale shark Higuera Rivas, a scientist at Conexiones Terramar, a non-profit marine research institute, said in a statement to Frontiers.
The killer whale Moctezuma was observed in three attacks, and another female killer whale previously seen with Moctezuma also participated in one attack. The orcas’ repeated presence at the time of the attack and their precise hunting methods suggest they were part of a pod of killer whales that specialized in killing whale sharks, researchers say.
“When hunting, all pod members work together to whale shark To turn it upside down. At that location shark You go into a state of tonic immobility and can no longer move voluntarily or go deeper and escape,” said Higuera Rivas. “Controlling the orcas allows them easier and faster access to the pelvic region. shark “We can extract nutritionally important organs.”
Both whale sharks and killer whales are widely distributed, but whale sharks prefer warm tropical waters. So it’s possible that orcas elsewhere have learned how to hunt these giant fish. But at the moment, there isn’t much data to tell which is which. If Moctezuma and his band are unique whale shark hunters, this could also have important implications for the conservation of this marine region. For example, detrimental changes to whale shark populations in the Gulf could affect their chances of survival. And researchers say more care needs to be taken to ensure tourists and other visitors to the area do not disturb the environment too much.
The ocean is full of all kinds of mysteries and unknowns, especially the darkest and deepest chasms in the world. But even some of the largest and best-known marine creatures around seem to have secrets that are yet to be solved.
