Orcas Target Great White Sharks in Gulf of California

Orcas have been observed hunting juvenile great white sharks in the Gulf of California off the coast of Mexico, according to recent research. The study, released on Sunday, highlights a pod of orcas that appears to specialize in this type of hunting, showcasing a remarkable behavior that had only been recorded once before in South Africa in 2022.

In a series of aerial videos captured by independent marine biologist Erick Higuera, a group of five orcas was seen hunting three juvenile great white sharks on two separate occasions. The first incident occurred in August 2020, where female orcas executed a coordinated attack to incapacitate a young shark by flipping it upside down. This technique induces a state known as tonic immobility, effectively rendering the shark defenseless and allowing the orcas to access its nutrient-rich liver and potentially other organs.

Higuera explained, “This temporary state renders the shark defenseless, allowing the orcas to extract its nutrient-rich liver and likely consume other organs as well, before abandoning the rest of the carcass.” Following the attack, the orcas were observed resurfacing with the liver in their mouths. A similar event was recorded in August 2022, further reinforcing the pod’s strategy.

New Insights into Orca Hunting Techniques

The research team identified some of the orcas involved in the 2020 hunt as those previously documented targeting other species, such as whale sharks and bull sharks. Nevertheless, the footage from the second incident did not provide enough clarity to determine if those orcas were from the same pod.

Dr. Salvador Jorgensen from California State University, a co-author of the study, emphasized the significance of these findings. “This is the first time researchers have seen orcas repeatedly target juvenile great white sharks,” he stated. He noted that adult sharks typically react swiftly to orca threats, vacating their seasonal gathering areas for extended periods. In contrast, juvenile sharks may be unaccustomed to orca predation, raising questions about whether their anti-predator responses are instinctual or learned.

The research indicates that while this particular pod is the only one observed hunting elasmobranchs, there may be other pods exhibiting similar behavior. Dr. Francesca Pancaldi of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas highlighted the importance of understanding these feeding behaviors to identify critical habitats for orcas. “Generating information about the extraordinary feeding behavior of killer whales in this region will lead us to understand where their main critical habitats are, so we can create protected areas and apply management plans to mitigate human impact,” she explained.

The study adds to a growing body of knowledge regarding orca interactions with marine ecosystems. In the 2022 incident in South Africa, orcas were observed pursuing sharks in a sustained effort over an hour off the coast of Mossel Bay. These documented behaviors underscore the advanced intelligence and social learning capabilities of orcas, showcasing their strategic hunting techniques.

As research continues to uncover the complexities of orca behavior, the findings from these recent hunts could have significant implications for marine conservation efforts and our understanding of predator-prey dynamics in ocean ecosystems.