In a display of sophisticated predatory behaviour, three orcas were seen using a highly strategic hunting method to ‘kidnap’ a young humpback whale, from under its mother’s nose. This entirely new tactic had never been seen before by scientists and was documented by a camera team for the first time for the BBC’s 2024 documentary series, Mammals, narrated […]
Tag: orcas
A South African reserve shows how carbon can catalyze rewilding conservation
TSWALU KALAHARI RESERVE, South Africa — From high on a promontory in the Korannaberg Mountains, a mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) peers down to the west across the green-dappled plain below, the sun rising behind. In the distance, wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) hunt in the veld, verdant after early rains. And nearby, white rhinos (Ceratotherium […]
“Can you imagine being chased by an apex predator?” Tourists watch incredible escape in Antarctica
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?” […]
“It came up with a mako shark in its mouth, eating some, then delivering the rest to – me. What happened next was extraordinary…”
Out of season, the chances of seeing wildlife might be lower but, the encounters can be even more incredible, as these wildlife lovers learned when they came face to face with orcas. Baja California Sur has turned into the world’s hotspot to see orcas up close – and that’s where we were headed, says Andi Cross. […]
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 […]
A dead whale shows up on your beach. What do you do with the 40-ton carcass?
When a whale dies, its body descends to the bottom of the deep sea in a transformative phenomenon called a whale fall. A whale’s death jump-starts an explosion of life, enough to feed and sustain a deep-ocean ecosystem for decades. There are a lot of ways whales can die. Migrating whales lose their way and, […]
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 […]
Incredible, first-of-their-kind images show an orca being born in Norway — and the rest of its pod forming a protective circle
Scientists in Norway have witnessed the birth of a baby orca in the wild, first-of-their-kind pictures show. The researchers were observing a group of orcas (Orcinus orca) during a whale-watching trip off the coast of Skjervøy in the Arctic Circle when the water around the animals suddenly turned crimson with blood, they said. “We were […]