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.

A pod of killer whales has developed "unique" skills to hunt the world’s biggest fish. A group of orcas have been spotted in the Gulf of California hunting whale sharks, which grow up to 18 metres long, in "coordinated" attacks.

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.

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

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

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.

Off the coast of Mexico, scientists have observed a pod of killer whales adapting new skills to help them hunt these docile giants of the sea.