First Time In World History, Killer Whales Filmed Hunting Dolphins

5 years ago Nature

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/40600/2248080610103329676S600x600Q85.jpgPhoto:
Image from The Herald. Let's see how long until we get a cease-and-desist.

A tour operator in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, unwittingly stumbled into the history books this weekend when he, his boat captain, and four tourists were in the right place at the right time to make the first recording ever of Orca whales hunting dolphins.

Ranier Schimpf was leading a group of divers when they noticed that one dolphin had been separated from a pod by five of the killer whales then repeatedly rammed. The dolphin was sent flying through the air by the force of impact from whales that were several times its size. With the smaller creature finally left laying unconscious on the surface, the whales pulled it below.

The two 7m male, two 5m female, and a 3m calf whales were clearly working as a team against the dolphin, and it appeared it was also a hunting lesson for the calf. More than that, they exhibited very protective behavior after the hunt. Becoming aware of the boat, they slowed, and began to circle the craft, investigating it. At that point the divers, making a decision I'll only characterize as daring here, got into the water with the whales and kept filming them. This paid off, however. The whales, recognizing the humans as non-threatening, began to interact in a friendly way. The mother even presented the calf to one of the tourists, shielding it carefully, but allowing it to take a look at the strange visitors.

Capturing the hunting process of orcas, and their behavior immediately after, gives man access to a previously un-captured behavior that's key to understanding the group dynamics within the pod. Conservation efforts are traditionally most successful when animals are the most thoroughly understood, and we are now, thanks to a group of tourists that were in the right place at the right time, a great leap closer to understanding both the hunting and social behaviors of killer whales.Environmental Graffiti is up for four bloggers’ choice awards. You can vote for us for best entertainment blog, best blog of all time, best geek blog and best animal blogger.

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Written by: whatsrequired

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Comments

Old Comments

WakeUpC22 says

Feb 26th, 2010 at 12am
It could also be protective behavior as the whales saw another predator as a threat and therefore kept it at bay. They probably pulled it down after they neutralized the threat but who knows it could be that they viewed it as a hunting lesson as well.

steaphen says

Feb 25th, 2010 at 12am
killer whales were hunting dolphins off the west coast of canada(georgia straight i think) and these dolphins are not known to the area, but warm water temps. have brought them north, and don't mess with killer whales! the killer whales(guess they are dolphins too), were amazingly fast!

Celeste says

May 13th, 2009 at 12am
this is so wack?!

Dan Gordon says

May 7th, 2009 at 12am
To whom it may concern. "Killer Whales" referred to above are not in fact whales. They, Orcas, are in fact members of the dolphin family, delphinidae. Is this enviornmental wikipedia? Please do some homework.

Melissa says

Apr 27th, 2009 at 12am
Hello really good site it gave me really good information for my project!!! Thanks, ~Melissa~

ericc says

Mar 2nd, 2009 at 12am
i am sexy whale are alsome

Sydney says

Feb 20th, 2009 at 12am
Really Amazing! Capturing the hunting process of orcas, and their behavior immediately after, gives man access to a previously un-captured behavior that’s key to understanding the group dynamics within the pod. Conservation efforts are traditionally most successful when animals are the most thoroughly understood, and we are now, thanks to a group of tourists that were in the right place at the right time, a great leap closer to understanding both the hunting and social behaviors of killer whales. Good Post i look forward to reading more! Sydney career hunting uk

bob says

Jan 29th, 2009 at 12am
This is why I support the "Nuke the whales" initiative.

Rainer Schimpf says

May 25th, 2008 at 12am
Here is what you all are waitinmg for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-bxOnAOH7I

Tom says

May 23rd, 2008 at 12am
Firstly, in no way at all is this the first time this has ever been recorded. That orca eat other dolphin species has been known for many years and seen in many places, this is not new in any way. To call it cannibalisitc, displays a large level of ignorance about whales and dolphins and animals (including humans) in general. Humans in many parts of the world eat monkies, its a perfect parallel. Orca's and the many dolphin species are not the same species, they are in the same group (cetacean), just as we are primates.