Dozens of orcas have been observed attacking and devouring a Cuvier’s beaked whale in an maritime massacre.
The orcas had been seen swimming in Bremer Canyon, Western Australia by tour company Naturaliste Charters Bremer Canyon Killer Whale and Pelagic Expeditions.
At initially the orcas appeared quiet, diving in and out of the drinking water and hunting for prey, a website article from the tour company described.
Abruptly the orcas banded together and went east. A tour boat followed them, finally halting together 3 other pods that ended up searching in the region.
“A enormous amount of birds crammed the sky swirling earlier mentioned in which the orcas ended up, a inform-tale signal that a hunt was on,” the tour agency said in a Facebook put up.
A feminine Cuvier’s beaked whale was surrounded on all sides by the orcas. The orcas were being holding the beaked whale at the surface area, blocking it from diving absent. The whale was then “flung up” into the air by the orcas under the surface of the drinking water, with extra continuing to demand.
Right after they experienced worn the whale down, the orcas labored in tandem to carry out a “synchronized” attack.
Sooner or later, the tour boat viewed the Cuvier’s whale disappear beneath the floor, never to be viewed yet again.
Just after the orcas completed their meal, birds took their possibility to nab any scraps remaining above.
The Cuvier’s beaked whale is a hardly ever viewed species that typically dwells in really deep waters. They dive in waters of at minimum 3,300 feet in depth. They can evaluate involving 15 to 23 toes lengthy, and weigh 4,000 to 6,800 lbs. They are a person of the key food items sources for orcas in the place.
Marine biologist Bianca Uyen advised ABC Australia: “Whilst beaked whales are a person of the primary foods resources for orcas in the Bremer Canyon, a surface predation like [this one] is only noticed a handful of situations each and every time,” she mentioned.
Orcas are known to hunt in packs. The formidable predators are hugely intelligent and social, are generally noticed doing the job in teams to attain goals.
Bremer Canyon is a hotspot for orcas.
The predators come to the space involving January and April specially to feed on beaked whale and squid.
The moment the get rid of was designed, Naturaliste Charters found there was a large amount of “celebrating in the kind of breaching, tail slapping and tons of browsing.”
“The orcas had once all over again distribute out and could be noticed from all sides of the boat placing on a exhibit,” the tour agency explained.
The orcas at some point dispersed from the region.
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