Orcas seen in unique group ambush-and-kill attack on dolphins

[Judi Lynn]

Orcas seen in unique group ambush-and-kill attack on dolphins
3 December 2015

They’ve definitely earned their name. Frighteningly effective hunting methods have become something of a speciality for a pod of killer whales off the coast of Patagonia, Argentina.

The pod became famous when some of them were spotted intentionally beaching themselves to capture baby sea lions, then refloating when the next wave rolled in.

Now the same pod has been seen tricking dolphins into an ambush. Orcas have been filmed hunting dolphins before, but never using such a complex group-hunting technique.

Ringleader

The ringleader in both cases is an adult female that researchers have named Maga. They watched from boats as the orcas – sometimes called killer whales, though they are more closely related to dolphins – encountered their prey then set up the ambush.

More:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28621-orcas-seen-in-unique-group-ambush-and-kill-attack-on-dolphins/

[-none]

1. Orcas are apparently the Republicans of the seas.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. They've ambushed narwhals in the Arctic, with devastating effect ... PBS Nature episode ...

Invasion of the Killer Whales
Killer Whales Attack Pod of Narwhal
Premiere date: November 19, 2014 |

A group of 20 tagged killer whales traveling at fairly rapid speed is followed as they head straight toward the summer nursery grounds of a pod of narwhal and their young. The science team and film crew are stunned as they arrive to see the killer whales lunging at the beach, pinning the entire pod of narwhal in shallow water before devouring them all.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/invasion-killer-whales-killer-whales-attack-pod-narwhals/11165/

[OregonBlue]

3. I hiked the West Coast Trail of Vancouver Island years ago and actually saw a pod

of Orcas round up a large seal and drive it onto the beach. They mostly kept in in shallow water and took turns clubbing it with their noses and then they pushed it to the beach and dropped their body weight on it. It was gruesome and amazing.