Uncommon footage shows orca pod hunting a pygmy sperm whale

During a whale-watching trip, passengers noticed an unusual sight: an enormous 80-foot streak of reddish-brown liquid spreading across the water. Moments later, an orca launched a small whale into the air, releasing dark red fluid. One member of a three-orca pod then pushed the struggling whale underwater, keeping it submerged. Another orca swam toward the boat holding the prey in its jaws, seemingly showing it off. Camila Alejandra Dvila Pardo, a marine biologist with Blue Safari Madeira, recounted, I never imagined it would be a mammal.

At the time, Dvila Pardo did not realize she may have captured the first recorded instance of orcas hunting a marine mammal around Madeira, a Portuguese island in the northeast Atlantic. She recently detailed the event in Marine Mammal Science, noting that no other examples of this behavior had been observed in the area. Globally, however, it marks only the fourth documented case of orcas preying on pygmy sperm whales.

This rare observation offers more than just a shocking visual. It provides scientists with new insight into the complex hunting strategies of orcas and raises concerns that local endangered marine mammals could become targets. Renaud de Stephanis, a marine biologist at CIRCE who was not part of the study, said, When I first saw the image, I thought, thats blood, it was so dark. But it turned out to be a defensive reddish intestinal fluid released by the pygmy sperm whale, similar to squid ink, meant to confuse predators. It didnt work on the orcas, Dvila Pardo noted, as their advanced echolocation makes them nearly impossible to evade.

Pygmy sperm whales are elusive, deep-diving creatures that inhabit offshore waters, often at depths of 400 meters or more. According to Rob Lott from Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the orcas around Madeira have adapted sophisticated group hunting strategies to efficiently capture these deep-water species.

Orcas are rarely spotted near Madeira, and the local population remains largely unknown. Although orcas in the Azores and Canary Islands have been seen hunting whales and dolphins, witnessing such behavior near Madeira astonished researchers. Both Lott and de Stephanis were unaware of previous records of killer whales targeting pygmy sperm whales in this region.

Earlier that day, Dvila Pardo had observed the three orcas and suspected hunting activity. She also noticed pilot whales and beaked whales together, speculating that the latter may have sought protection. Such interspecies interactions are uncommon but have been observed when pilot whales attempt to deter orcas.

Globally, orca populations are divided into distinct ecotypes with varying appearances, hunting behaviors, and prey preferences. Some feed mainly on fish, others hunt sharks, and some, like those in the Pacific Northwest, target marine mammals. The confirmation that Madeira orcas may hunt mammals, including deep-diving species, was a striking discovery.

The three orcas observed were not listed in local photo identification records, suggesting they might be transient. Lott noted that documenting these mystery orcas will improve understanding of orca movements and behavior.

If orcas are preying on mammals in Madeira, it could threaten critically endangered monk seals, of which fewer than 30 adults remain. Dvila Pardo emphasized the need for further observation and urged the public to report sightings of local orcas, stating, these are our orcas. Have you seen them around? We need help.

Author: Sophia Brooks