Killer whales can feed on marine mammals, turtles, and fish. In the Gulf of California, a pod might have picked up new skills that help them hunt whale sharks—the world's largest fish, growing up to 18 meters long.

Whale sharks are gentle, filter-feeding giants, but orcas in Mexican waters were documented attacking the animals and devouring their livers.

There are documented incidences where orcas have preyed on other shark species, including great whites. In 2022, scientists reported how a pack of killer whales ganged up to kill a blue whale. A recent spate of orcas striking and, in some cases, sinking boats around the Strait of Gibraltar has put European yachters on edge.

Researchers have documented killer whales working as a team to prey on whale sharks in the Gulf of California.

For the first time, scientists have captured video evidence of orcas cooperatively hunting whale sharks, the largest species of fish on Earth. This graphic footage proves that whale sharks are a regular part of some orcas’ diets, and solves the mystery of how they are able to kill the massive fish.

Orcas appear to select the youngest fish, work together to flip them upside down, then target the most vulnerable areas of their bellies.

United States - A pod of killer whales in the Gulf of California may have acquired specialized hunting techniques to prey on whale sharks, the world’s largest fish. Researchers have documented four separate predation events from 2018 to 2024,

The method of hunting may imply that some orcas in the Gulf of California have acquired a special set of skills–like going after the ventral side of young whale sharks–that help them prey on these enormous fish. Orcas may have learned to do the same thing in other parts of the world, but evidence is limited, according to the team.

Killer Whales are learning new skills to help them hunt the world’s biggest shark, scientists say. Orcas are now hunting in packs to kill whale sharks, predominantly in the Gulf of California. It is thought that the killer whales have gained ‘special’ knowledge over the last six years which enables them to hunt in a way they have never been able to before.