For the first time in history, orcas have been filmed hunting and killing an elusive whale species in Australian waters.
The event took place off the coast of Western Australia’s Bremer Bay on April 1st. The pod of killer whales swam up to 50km an hour to converge on the lone Cuvier’s beaked whale which had no chance of escape because orcas have the mental and social capacity to keep the beaked whale near the surface. Two orcas were initially involved in the actual hunt and minutes later, the majority of the orcas joined them. Orca predation is rarely witnessed on beaked whales.
The Bremer Bay canyon has emerged as a global biological hotspot in recent years, particularly for the study of the majestic orca.
Photo Credit: Naturaliste Charters/Machi Yoshida
