Killer whales target the pelvic area of whale sharks, causing them to bleed out and giving them access to the fish's nutritious livers. (Photo: Kelsey Williamson)
A pod of killer whales off the coast of Mexico has mastered the art of hunting whale sharks, the world's largest shark species, and their methods are brutal.
According to the researchers, a single male was observed in most hunting operations, suggesting that he may be the driving force behind this predatory behavior.
“The animals have consistently demonstrated that they are incredibly adept at developing specialized strategies to hunt specific types of prey,” Volker Dicke, a professor of wildlife conservation at the University of Cumbria in the U.K., told Live Science in an email. “This is fascinating behavior.” Dicke, a marine mammal biologist, was not involved in the new study.
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest fish in the ocean, weighing up to 40 tons (36 metric tons) and typically reaching lengths of 40 feet (12 meters), according to the National Ocean Service. The largest of these marine giants can exceed 60 feet (18 meters) in length — about the length of a bowling alley.
By comparison, killer whales (Orcinus orca), also known as orcas, rarely grow longer than 32 feet (10 m), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, the researchers found that these fearsome predators have developed strategies to kill marine mammals. The findings were published Nov. 29 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
The researchers characterized this new hunting behavior by analyzing photographs and videos taken in the southern Gulf of California from 2018 to 2024. They ultimately documented four similar hunting events.
Orca pods flip whale sharks upside down to paralyze them and allow easier access to their pelvic areas and nourishing livers.
The killer whales begin by delivering a powerful blow to the whale sharks to stun them and flip them upside down, preventing the sharks from moving or escaping to deeper water, study co-author Jesus Eric Higuera Rivas, a marine biologist at the nonprofit research organization Conexiones Terramar, said in a statement.
The killer whales then attack the whale sharks' pelvic area, causing them to bleed and giving the killer whales access to the nutritious liver.
Sourse: www.livescience.com
