Orcas Exhibit Unique Feeding Behavior with Sunfish
Orcas are displaying unexpected habits in the wild. Researchers have recorded instances of these marine mammals ramming sunfish with great force, causing the fish to burst into fragments. This behavior was observed near Cabo San Lucas by Kathryn Ayres from Beneath The Waves, a nonprofit focused on ocean health.
During the incident, one orca held a sunfish while another positioned itself and then rammed the fish at high speed. This resulted in thousands of tiny sunfish bits scattered in the water. The findings, which Ayres and her team documented, were featured in a recent paper.
Erick Higuera, a marine biologist, comments that while this behavior might appear shocking, it’s a form of specialized biology. The action could potentially assist younger orcas in feeding more easily, or perhaps it serves as a playful activity. Orcas often engage in such playful behaviors, with accounts of them wearing salmon as hats and juveniles even sinking ships for amusement.
Marine ecologist Robert Pitman adds that like cats, orcas seem to enjoy tormenting both prey and non-prey. He believes this ramming might mainly aid in feeding, especially as older orcas or those with worn-down teeth from eating sharks face difficulties.
“There isn’t much to eat on a sunfish,” Pitman points out, given their dense, rubbery skin.
This ramming might serve as an efficient way to break down the sunfish into manageable pieces, notes Higuera. Since orcas lack tools or hands, creating smaller, bite-sized portions this way seems practical.
Whether this behavior is purely for fun remains undetermined. For an activity to be considered fun, it needs to be voluntary, rewarding, and involve exaggerated behaviors. Higuera observed signs of social play, suggesting that orcas might be using the activity both for feeding and fun. Nonetheless, he urges caution in drawing conclusions about this behavior’s nature until more examples are observed.
The documented cases were in Baja California, but Pitman wonders if orcas in other regions practice this strategy. Higuera also speculates it could be cultural knowledge specific to certain pods.
Pitman acknowledges the researchers for shedding light on this behavior. He recalls witnessing orcas carrying sunfish and now possibly understanding their actions. He cautions snorkeling enthusiasts to be wary, hinting that humans should not become the next target for play.