As of: March 28, 2024, 5:48 p.m
By: Marcus Giebel
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A group of whale watchers witness an attack by orcas on sperm whales. The killer whales are scared away with an unsavory action.
Bremer Bay – When orcas start hunting in a group, hardly any creature seems to be a match for them. Even great white sharks or significantly larger whales usually lose out to the top predators. A group of sperm whales demonstrated how an orca attack can be successfully fended off in front of the participants of a whale tour.
Orcas hunt sperm whales: people observe attack from ship
In a Facebook post, the organization Naturaliste Charters describes the special encounter off the coast of Western Australia near Bremer Bay. After a group of orcas had been observed from the ship for some time, the animals suddenly picked up speed as if they had been attracted by something.
They even swam towards the mainland and moved in water only 80 meters deep - normally they would stay in regions where the sea floor is more than 1000 meters below the surface. Initially, the experts on board assumed that the orcas had noticed beaked whales nearby. But then it became apparent that their goal was much bigger.
They were targeting five sperm whales, one of which was smaller, probably a juvenile. The supposed prey already looked desperate and exhausted when the ship came within sight. The large animals tried to fend off the killer whales by flapping their tails, repeatedly sticking their heads out of the water to catch their breath. Meanwhile, the orcas drew close circles around the group.
Attack averted: The group of sperm whales drives the orcas away. © Facebook/Naturaliste Charters/Jodie Lowe
Orcas surround sperm whales: Bubble rises to the surface and completely changes the situation
It goes on to explain that when it comes to sperm whales, they tend to target females and calves rather than males, who are considered more aggressive. Females would therefore form circular defensive formations to protect young animals or injured adults in their midst. So it looked like that in this case too.
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One of the larger sperm whales even opened its mouth to reveal its powerful lower jaw and teeth. But even that didn't make the attackers flee. Finally, a large dark bubble rose to the surface between the sperm whales; the human observers immediately thought it was blood, apparently as a result of an injury.
The tension on board increased because the expedition participants had the feeling that they were witnessing a successful orca hunt for adult sperm whales. But the attackers suddenly behaved strangely. One flapped his tail, the others moved away. In order not to cause unnecessary stress or disturbance to the animals, the ship moved on.
Sperm whales use feces against orcas: the tail is used to ignite a cloud of diarrhea
During the trip, orcas appeared all around and seemed to be eating pieces of meat. But what exactly it was remains the animals' secret. The post emphasizes that much of what happens beneath the surface of the water can only be speculated upon. The analysis of the recordings revealed what had made its way to the surface in the circle of sperm whales and was mistaken for blood.
Rather, one of the attacked animals must have expelled its feces. Using this method, cornered sperm whales attempt to defend themselves against their attacker. By waving their tails through the feces, they create a cloud of diarrhea that drives predators to quickly disperse.
Sperm whales send orcas fleeing: First-class hunting technology until the feces rise to the surface
The fact that the excrement appeared red is explained by the fact that sperm whales eat 90 percent of their diet from squid. This meant the feces could easily be mistaken for blood.
In this case, the orcas lost out and the sperm whales proved that their bond in the group allowed them to put a supposedly overpowering opponent to flight. Nevertheless, the killer whales have once again demonstrated their first-class hunting technique.
In danger: An adult sperm whale shows its teeth in the face of the orcas. © Facebook/Naturaliste Charters/Jodie Lowe
Orcas on the hunt: “They don’t shy away from too much”
At
ABC News,
marine biologist Jennah Tucker, who works aboard the ship, classified the rarely documented spectacle. After this cloud of scent came to the surface, the situation initially calmed down and the impression arose that the orcas had grabbed one of the sperm whales - probably the young animal.
But then the attackers ran away: “It seemed as if the orcas were saying, this is our time. Let us all disappear.” Basically, such attacks by killer whales on sperm whales, which outnumber them in terms of mass, are “quite adventurous” and only a few cases have been documented.
But Tucker also notes: “We have seen the Bremen orcas do some pretty crazy things. They don’t shy away from too much.” Sperm whale scent clouds seem to be one of the few exceptions.
A sperm whale has even been discovered on the A1. A video shows how a sailing ship crew fends off an attack by orcas. For other orcas, it's a matter of pure survival as they get stuck in the ice and gasp for air.
(mg)