Of all the animals in the ocean, one reigns supreme when it comes to hunting: orcas. The largest species of dolphin, these animals are often referred to as killer whales.
Some say they got this name because sailors noticed their ability to dispatch enormous whales and dubbed them ‘whale killers’. These remarkable predators can even successfully hunt a blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. But can anything kill a killer whale?
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Of all the ocean predators, the great white shark seems like it might be best able to take on an orca. These huge sharks can measure up to 6.4m long and weigh as much as 2,041kg (that’s heavier than a Ford Focus). They’re known for their dagger-like teeth and the ability to explode out of the water to catch seals in a predatory breach.
But actually it is the other way round and killer whales hunt great whites. Orcas are extremely intelligent and have figured out how to hunt great whites, as these sharks are also known. An orca pod can work together to target the shark, flip it over and remove its liver.
In some areas, when orcas have been spotted in the area, great whites mysteriously vanish, perhaps fleeing to avoid being hunted. There have even been instances of individual orcas targeting and killing a white shark. It's likely that killer whales might also hunt tiger sharks and bull sharks.
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Sperm whales are much bigger than orcas – sometimes around twice the size – and are skilled predators in their own right (they even eat the monstrous giant squid that may have inspired the legend of the Kraken). But killer whales don’t let that stop them – they have been observed attacking an entire pod of sperm whales, successfully killing some of them.
Sperm whales do their best to resist these onslaughts, in any way they can. One pod of sperm whales was even seen pooing on orcas in response to a killer whale attack. Scientists wondered if this defecation was a unique form of self-defence.
However, there is one creature that killer whales should be afraid of: us. Human pressures, such as pollution, overfishing and hunting, are impacting these magnificent mammals. Toxic chemicals in the water can accumulate in their tissues, affecting their health and reproduction. They can be hit by fast-moving vessels or accidentally caught in fishing nets. And they are still hunted by some communities or caught and taken into captivity.
In recent years, Iberian orcas have started ramming boats – but scientists think they’re probably curious or trying to play rather than being aggressive – and some people have reportedly responded by trying to shoot them. There are no recorded fatalities of humans by a killer whale in the wild.
