Tourists were stunned when a pair of orcas tried to hunt a gentoo penguin alongside their ship. Here’s what happened next. Wildlife watchers in Antarctica were amazed when a lone gentoo penguin managed to outsmart hunting orcas by racing and swerving away from them, dodging their approach. “Can you imagine being chased by an apex predator?” […]
Tag: killer whales
Orcas team up with dolphins to hunt salmon, study finds
Orcas and dolphins have been spotted for the first time working as a team to hunt salmon off the coast of British Columbia, according to a new study which suggests a cooperative relationship between the two predators. The research, published on Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports, shows interactions between northern resident orcas (also known […]
Ocean’s most powerful, ruthless killers: The world’s top 9 marine predators that rule the waves
In the ocean, everything relies on tiny plankton.These provide nutrients for animals at the bottom of the food web which are eaten by larger species, and so on. At the top of the food chain, large predators (often with huge teeth) have perfected their hunting strategies for millennia, giving them the best possible chance to […]
‘Forever chemical’ contamination could undermine sea otters’ fragile recovery in Canada
Sea otters living along the coastline of Canada’s British Columbia province carry residues of “forever chemicals” in their bodies, according to a new study, and those living near dense human populations or shipping lanes are the most heavily impacted. The research was published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, authored principally by scientists at […]
10 fastest swimmers in the ocean, including one animal that can accelerate to nearly 80MPH quicker than a Porsche
Some species in the ocean live their lives at a breakneck pace – at least, when they need to. Whether it’s to catch their dinner or avoid becoming dinner, many animals can swim incredibly quickly. But which are the fastest? Of course, it’s almost impossible to know exactly how fast a fish can swim, as […]
“I’ve been thinking about this possibility for 15 years”: Killer whale experts make new discovery off North American coast
West Coast transient killer whales have long fascinated marine scientists with their impressive mammal-hunting techniques. Now, new research by the University of British Columbia (UBC) is shedding more light on these large ocean predators, confirming them to be two distinct subpopulations: inner and outer coast transients. Analysing 16 years of data covering more than 2,200 […]
The great escape: seal flees killer whales by jumping on to photographer’s boat
A wildlife photographer on a whale-watching trip in waters off Seattle captured dramatic video and photos of a pod of killer whales hunting a seal that survived only by clambering on to the stern of her boat. Charvet Drucker was on a rented 20ft (6 metre) boat near her home on an island in the […]
Orcas Team Up to Hunt Great White Sharks in Astonishing New Footage
Killer whales have once again shown the world why they’re among the ocean’s most intelligent and strategic hunters. According to PEOPLE, researchers captured rare footage in the Gulf of California showing orcas working together to hunt great white sharks and feast on their livers — a behavior previously only documented in South Africa. The study, […]