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.

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.

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