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Orcas (or killer whales) are large, powerful aquatic apex predators. There have been incidents where orcas were perceived to attack humans in the wild, but such attacks are less common than those by captive orcas. [1] In captivity, there have been several non-fatal and four fatal attacks on humans since the 1970s. [2]
Although resident orcas have never been observed to eat other marine mammals, they occasionally harass and kill porpoises and seals for no apparent reason. [106] Some dolphins recognize resident orcas as harmless and remain in the same area. [107] Orcas do consume seabirds but are more likely to kill and leave them uneaten.
A stoat surplus killing chipmunks (Ernest Thompson Seton, 1909) Multiple sheep killed by a cougar. Surplus killing, also known as excessive killing, henhouse syndrome, [1] [2] or overkill, [3] is a common behavior exhibited by predators, in which they kill more prey than they can immediately eat and then they either cache or abandon the remainder.
The killer whales’ aggressive behavior has increased in recent years, according to one study. Orcas are sinking sailboats in a game that’s ‘gotten way out of hand,’ experts say Skip to ...
The orcas interacted with the yacht for 45 minutes, bumping against the blade of the rudder, causing damage and leaks. No humans were harmed and the vessel sank near the entrance to the port of Tanger-Med. [14] [7] On 12 May 2024, the Spanish yacht Alboran Cognac was attacked by orcas and holed. Both people on board were rescued by a tanker.
Mobbing can also be used to obtain food, by driving larger birds and mammals away from a food source, or by harassing a bird with food. One bird might distract while others quickly steal food. Scavenging birds such as gulls frequently use this technique to steal food from humans nearby. A flock of birds might drive a powerful animal away from food.
An orca pod in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico has devised a cunning strategy to hunt and kill whale sharks — the world’s largest fish that can grow up to 18 meters (60 feet) in ...
On average, an adult killer whale in the wild may eat about three to four percent of their body weight daily, [82] or as much as 227 kg (500 lb) of food for a six-ton male. Their diet in the wild depends on what is available, and may include fish, walruses, seals, sea lions, penguins, squid, sea turtles, sharks and whales. [ 83 ]