Rare Orca Hunt: Over 60 Killer Whales Take Down Blue Whale Near Australia
In a remarkable event off the coast of Australia, over 60 orcas hunted and killed a blue whale, marking one of the rarest instances of this predation. This unprecedented sighting was reported by Naturaliste Charters Whale Watching, which captured footage of the intense 40-minute ordeal that concluded with the orcas celebrating their successful hunt. Witness Machu Yoshida described the experience as “bittersweet,” acknowledging the complexity of witnessing a blue whale's demise while also being captivated by the orcas' intelligence and hunting tactics.
This incident represents only the fourth recorded instance of such an orca hunt. Prior documented occurrences happened between 2019 and 2021, with varying numbers of orcas involved. According to Robert Pitman, a cetacean ecologist at Oregon State University, this event is “the biggest predation event on the planet,” akin to a historical phenomenon that hasn’t been seen in millions of years.
The blue whale is the largest creature on Earth, and this attack highlights the orcas' role as apex predators in the ocean, contributing to the ecological balance by providing food for various marine species.
Australia