Check out techniques used by Orca pod to hunt the biggest fish on earth

In a remarkable discovery, scientists have documented the ingenious hunting strategy of an orca pod targeting whale sharks off Mexico’s Pacific coast. These whale sharks, the largest fish on Earth, can grow up to 18 meters (60 feet), but the orcas demonstrate a calculated approach to overpowering their colossal prey. This marks the first time such behavior has been thoroughly analyzed, based on observations from four separate hunting incidents between 2018 and 2024.

Whale sharks, which gather in the Gulf of California, are slow-moving filter feeders with small teeth, offering little defense against predators. Typically, the orcas target juvenile sharks ranging from 3 to 7 meters (10 to 23 feet), as they are more vulnerable. Despite their ability to dive to great depths of up to 2,000 meters as a defense, the orcas’ strategy ensures their dominance.

Marine researchers, including Francesca Pancaldi and Erick Higuera Rivas, have detailed how these apex predators operate. The orcas first strike the whale shark at high speeds, flipping it onto its back to induce “tonic immobility,” a paralyzed state triggered by fear. Once incapacitated, the orcas attack the shark’s abdomen, letting blood flow before consuming internal organs, likely targeting the liver, a nutrient-rich organ. Notably, a male orca named Moctezuma, recognized for his distinctive markings, played a key role in three of the documented hunts, sometimes accompanied by a presumed pod member or relative.

The findings, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, add to the growing evidence of orcas’ adaptability in hunting techniques. Orcas are known to target a wide range of marine life, from seals to squid, and their behavior often varies between ecotypes, specialized groups with unique hunting habits. The Gulf of California pod, potentially a distinct ecotype, appears to focus on elasmobranchs like sharks and rays, with Moctezuma also observed hunting bull sharks and stingrays.

While similar predatory behavior in South Africa has affected great white shark populations, Pancaldi noted no significant ecological impact on Gulf of California whale sharks. However, this newfound insight into orca hunting underscores their remarkable intelligence and adaptability in the marine ecosystem.