For elephant seals, the technique is a little different. Accordingly, the killer whale will surround the animal, hit it with its tail, then grab the seal’s fin to shake it.
The hunt for gray whales is organized in a different way, when it is usually initiated and commanded by adult female whales. Initially, they will chase mother whales and baby whales, aiming to exhaust their prey.
When baby whales are gradually separated from their mother, they will rush to grab the animal, and pull it away. At this point, the hunt becomes extremely brutal, as they take turns ramming and biting their prey, before drowning it.
For dolphins, hunts are highly coordinated. Killer whales surround a large group of dolphins to gradually separate individuals from the group.
When a vulnerable dolphin is identified, they take turns diving, then shooting up like torpedoes, targeting the animal’s vulnerable areas.
In the face of powerful attacks, individual dolphins often cannot survive. They are thrown into the air, then pulled into the water until they die. The same technique applies to sharks.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
The moment a great white shark is surrounded and killed by a killer whale.
The findings help us better understand the complexity of the North Pacific ecosystem, researchers say, as well as how killer whales adapt to food webs. different.
Here, killer whales show that they truly are apex predators, whether coastal, or far offshore.
Around the world, killer whales operate mainly in small groups, and there are three main genotypes, called ecotypes. These ecotypes can be found in the Pacific Northeast – either resident populations, transient populations, and offshore populations.
These groups are genetically distinct, have their own lifestyles, and different physical characteristics.
Killer whales are highly socially organized species, some following a matrilineal system, more sustainable than any other mammal, except humans of course.
The complex social behavior, hunting techniques, communication sounds of killer whales… are all considered a feature of their culture.