Killer whales have such strength that they can blow up sunfish with a simple blow, according to a study published in the journal. Frontiers in ethologyTHURSDAY.
Footage included in the study shows the killer whale slamming into the sunfish with amazing force, breaking it into several fragments.
“I filmed the first event a few years ago (July 29, 2024 in the Gulf of California) and couldn’t believe my eyes,” said study lead author Catherine Ayres.
For her, watching the sunfish fragment was a “unique experience.” “What was unique about this case was the outcome,” she told CNN.
Images showing killer whale hunting strategy with sunfish.
Photo taken from Frontiers in Ethology.
Scientists have put forward two hypotheses: it could be a hunting technique or a simple game.
Judging by the footage, one killer whale is holding a sunfish by the tail, and the second one is rushing towards it at full speed. Shortly before the blow, the first releases his victim, and the second hits him with such force that he disintegrates. The two animals then share the remains.
This type of attack has never been seen before. Orca Behavior Institute director Monica Wieland Shields calls it “incredible behavior.”
“I’ve never heard of a case like this, so as far as I know, this is definitely recently documented behavior,” she added to US media.
The entertainment program remains open. Catherine Ayres noticed a wound on the fish’s body before the impact, suggesting that the orcas were not necessarily looking for food at this time, but rather they were playing.