A new study has shown for the first time that killer whales successfully hunted and killed blue whales on three separate occasions off the coast of Western Australia. KillerWhale
, took place in March and April 2019 and in March 2020, off Bremer Bay. They are the first recorded instances where blue whales have been lethally preyed upon by another wild animal.Jade Sharp
Shortly after the death of the young blue whale in the second attack, a killer whale inserted its head into the whale’s mouth to feed on the tongue.It is common for a group of killer whales to be involved in an attack, as they live and hunt in close-knit family pods, interchangeably attacking their prey and swapping roles throughout the kill.Teamwork and coordination are essential in a killer whale hunt.
“[Killer whales] have matrilineal societies, which means they basically travel in these female-driven groups. Quite often the grandma leads these [kills],” Ms Reeves said. Although this is considered to be the first time that humans have witnessed and documented killer whales attacking and successfully killing a blue whale, it may not be the first time it has happened.
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