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The phenomenon of whales defecating near the water's surface reverses the typical flow of nutrients in the ocean's biological pump, contributing to the "whale pump." Whales feed at deeper levels where krill is found, and their fecal matter, rich in iron, rises to the surface.
Orcas also prey on larger species such as sperm whales, grey whales, humpback whales and minke whales. [ 83 ] [ 39 ] On three separate occasions in 2019 orcas were recorded to have killed blue whales off the south coast of Western Australia, including an estimated 18–22-meter (59–72 ft) individual. [ 88 ]
The sperm whale or cachalot [a] (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator.It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia.
But National Geographic says, "Sperm whales are known to dive as deep as 3,280 feet in search of squid to eat. These giant mammals must hold their breath for up to 90 minutes on such dives."
The meat the orcas took was likely squid, the company said, either “stolen from the sperm whales’ jaws or regurgitated (by the sperm whales) in a defensive effort to relinquish a potential ...
A dramatic scene played out off the coast of Monterey Bay, California, last week when a pod of 30 hungry orcas attacked two adult gray whales in a rare display of predatory force. Evan Brodsky, of ...
The dwarf sperm whale is a suction feeder that mainly eats squid, and does this in small pods of typically one to four members. It is preyed upon by the killer whale (Orcinus orca) and large sharks such as the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharius). When startled, the whale can eject a cloud of red-brown fluid.
Humpback whale breach sequence. A breach or a lunge is a leap out of the water, also known as cresting. The distinction between the two is fairly arbitrary: cetacean researcher Hal Whitehead defines a breach as any leap in which at least 40% of the animal's body clears the water, and a lunge as a leap with less than 40% clearance. [2]