An Orca Pod Has Developed a Cunning Strategy to Hunt and Kill Whale Sharks
In the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico, a group of orcas has devised a sophisticated strategy to catch and kill whale sharks, the world’s largest fish, which can grow up to 18 meters (60 feet) in length. The findings were documented in a recent study published in the journal “Frontiers in Marine Science.”
Researchers from the Centro Interdisciplinari de Ciencias Marinas in Mexico analyzed four separate hunting events caught on camera and identified a unique behavior where the orcas target young whale sharks, between 3 to 7 meters (10 to 23 feet) in length, which are more vulnerable to predators.
The orcas, led by a 8-meter-long male orca nicknamed Moctezuma, use a clever tactic to catch their prey. They hit the whale shark at high speed, flip it upside down, and then bite the abdomen, causing the shark’s blood to flow out before consuming its internal organs.
The study’s first author, Francesca Pancaldi, noted that “the whale shark has the smallest brain compared to body mass, and it’s a big, big fish that is very slow compared with other sharks. It has tiny, tiny teeth that it doesn’t use as a defense mechanism.”
The orcas’ strategy is made possible by the whale shark’s limited defense mechanisms, including flailing and diving down as deep as 2,000 meters. The orcas’ ability to use high-speed impact and coordination to subdue their prey is likely a result of their evolution as apex predators.
The discovery sheds new light on the complex relationship between orcas and their prey, with potential implications for our understanding of oceanic food webs. The study suggests that the orcas may form a new ecotype that specifically targets elasmobranchs, including sharks and rays.
The findings also highlight the importance of continued research into the behavior and ecology of these apex predators, which play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems.
