Wait, I can’t be seeing right? Are these Orcas hunting a massive Blue Whale 35 times their size? The video shows us a couple of orcas harassing a blue whale in a possible attempt to hunt the giant of the ocean.
What We See
In the video, we see a couple of orcas chasing a blue whale in the ocean. The two killer whales are swimming around, in front and behind the blue whale in a possible attempt to hunt the animal.
Is The Blue Whale Safe?
Unfortunately, we don’t know how this bizarre interaction ends! But, we can look at some of the facts on Orcas and Blue Whales to help us conclude.
Orca Size
The average orca, also known as the killer whale, is between 23 and 32 feet in length. And weighs around 8,800 pounds – which is not small at all!
Blue Whale Size
However, the massive blue whale averages a length of 90 feet and 300,000 pounds! Making them around 35 times heavier and 3 to 4 times longer than the orcas trying to attack it!
Orca Speed
The killer whale’s average swimming speed is around 6 miles per hour and in short bursts, they can reach 35 miles per hour.
Blue Whale Speed
Where the blue whale’s average speed is similar, at 5 miles per hour, their top speed is only 20 miles per hour. Explaining why the orca could swim past and in front of the blue whale in the video.
Orcas Are The Apex Predators of The Ocean
Orcas are at the top of the ocean’s food chain! Meaning that no predator is hunting them. These apex predators hunt fish, dolphins, sharks, birds, and even other whales.
Orcas In Attack Mode
These marine animals hunt in many ways depending on their prey and where they are. Orcas often hunt in groups called pods, where they coordinate and cooperate to catch their prey. When hunting smaller prey, they will herd their prey together in groups making it easy to capture multiple individuals at once.
Sharing Is Caring
Since killer whales hunt together, they also eat together! You can just imagine if they caught the massive blue whale there is no way just the two of them would have eaten the whole animal. Their habit of sharing catches ensures that their social pod is well-fed while strengthening their social bond.
Blue Whale Social Behavior
These massive animals tend to love either solitary lives or in small groups of 2 to 4 individuals. The solitary lifestyle of the blue whale may be what made it a target for the notorious killer whales!
Gentle Giants
You would imagine that an animal as large as the blue whale would be ferocious and dangerous to those around them. When the truth is, that these animals are harmless and gentle, only feeding on krill they pose no threat to other ocean creatures.
Blue Whale Diet
Blue whales are filter feeders who predominantly eat krill. They take in large amounts of water and krill by lunging through dense swarms of these tiny crustaceans with their mouths open. They then close their mouths and use their baleen plates to filter out the water, trapping the krill inside. And that’s how they eat!
Blue Whale Defense
It is hard to think that these large animals will need a way to defend themselves against predators, yet they do! Blue whales mostly rely on their size to avoid attacks and can dive and swim away quickly to avoid attacks. When they feel threatened they use their powerful tails to strike at their threat.
Orcas Intelligence
These animals show remarkable intelligence through their social structures, cooperative hunting techniques, problem-solving abilities, and advanced communication skills. They can even recognize themselves in mirrors and teach hunting strategies to their young!
Orca and Blue Whale Interaction
Although these interactions are rare, they do occur at intense levels! Orcas, in their coordinated pods, will attack young, isolated, or weak blue whales. And many times, their combination of hunting strategies, teamwork, and agility, will take down an enormous blue whale.
The Video
Watch the video posted on Reddit here.
What Does This Video Teach Us?
That size doesn’t always matter when it is competing against the persistence, intelligence, and teamwork of a predator. And that killer whales have proven once again, that they earn their title as apex predators!
Predators Know No Bounds
In rare but dramatic encounters, coordinated orca pods overpower young or weakened blue whales, showcasing nature’s fierce and unforgiving struggle for survival. Highlighting once again why apex predators are at the top of the food chain!
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