Killer whales seen hunting with dolphins and sharing spoils for first time
New research changes what we know about killer whales
- Researchers have observed killer whales and dolphins cooperating to hunt salmon off the coast of British Columbia, marking the first time such sharing has been widely documented.
- The study, conducted near Vancouver Island, used advanced monitoring techniques, including drones, to observe the interactions between the two marine species.
- Scientists suspect that orcas may be using dolphin echolocation to locate Chinook salmon, which are too large for the dolphins to capture themselves.
- Out of eight recorded instances of orcas catching and sharing salmon, dolphins were present in four, scavenging the remains of fish broken apart by the killer whales.
- This unique cooperative behaviour suggests a mutually beneficial relationship where orcas locate prey more easily and dolphins feed on the resulting scraps.