- Scientists filmed orcas smashing a dead sunfish into tiny pieces in the Gulf of California
- A female orca held the fish’s tail while a male struck it, breaking it apart forcefully
- Orcas shared the fish pieces, feeding adults and younger members separately
Scientists have captured rare footage of orcas displaying an unusual way of handling their prey after a hunt. The behaviour was recorded in the Gulf of California, where the marine predators were seen smashing a dead sunfish into thousands of tiny pieces, reported NYPost.
The footage shows a female orca holding the tail fin of a recently killed sunfish, one of the largest and heaviest fish in the sea, while a male orca swims towards it at high speed and strikes it with such force that the fish breaks into countless small pieces. Marine biologist Dr Kathryn Ayres, a scientist at nonprofit Beneath The Waves, is heard reacting with shock as she watches the event unfold.
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Dr. Ayres observed that after the fish was smashed apart, the adult orcas fed on the remaining body while younger members of the group began eating the scattered pieces. She explained that orcas often tear apart prey and share it with other members of the group, including calves and juveniles. She suggested that breaking the fish into smaller pieces is similar to a person cutting food into bite-sized portions for children.
Scientists also believe the behaviour could help make the meat easier to eat and allow nutrients to become more accessible. They noted that sunfish are covered with a thick, rubbery capsule containing a unique microbiome. Smashing the fish may spread these nutrients into the water, making them easier for the orcas to absorb.
Dr Ayres also said there is another possible explanation that the behaviour could simply be for fun. She noted that orcas are known to play with their prey and have previously been seen drowning juvenile blue whales, throwing seals into the air, wearing salmon carcasses as hats and smashing sunfish into pieces.
The researchers also noted that orcas have been observed ramming and sinking boats, interacting playfully with each other and offering animal carcasses to humans.
Dr Ayres said she is interested in collecting more high-quality footage to identify individual orcas and better understand their behaviour. She said collecting good identification photographs whenever possible is important because researchers are still discovering new techniques that orcas use to hunt and process their prey.
