Killer Whales Playing with Their Prey | Trials Of Life | BBC Earth

No other whale deliberately beaches itself in this way, or has perfected this method of getting back to the sea. As long as the sea lions stay well up the beach, you might think they would be safe. But the hungry whales are very daring. Now several of the whales are hunting in a group. That sea lion was keeping just ahead of one of the whales, but was caught by another it probably hadn't seen. This savage beating may be to separate hide from flesh. But very often the successful hunter takes its victims straight out to sea without even killing it. And there it plays with its catch as if it were exalting in triumph. To get all the food it needs, a killer whale must catch at least three sea lion pups a day and every day throughout the breeding season this group of skilled highly intelligent hunters do just that.

Channel: BBC Earth

Views: 8,224,650

Rating: 4.78053 out of 5

Keywords: killer whales, killer whales hunting seals on beach, killer whales hunting seals, sea lion, david attenborough killer whales, killer whales vs sea lions, killer whale, killer whale attack, david attenborough, killer whales hunting, killer whale vs sea lion, sir david attenborough, bbcearth, killer whales hunt sea lions, bbc documentary, bbc, bbc earth

Id: bk1VdQxeTn4

Length: 4min 12sec (252 seconds)

Published: Sat May 25 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/Iamnotburgerking]

This footage is what actually made the beaching orcas of Patagonia famous (and, unfortunately, led to the misperception this is common orca behaviour; only this pod of orcas will beach themselves to kill prey on land).

The way the orcas of this particular population pull this attack off is quite clever, actually (and is taught by the adults to their offspring). This beach has a steep slope with round pebbles, making it easy for the orcas to un-beach themselves. They rely on a series of deepwater channels to access the beaches and often swim on their sides to hide themselves.

[u/YOUREABOT]

I think I'd rather encounter a shark than an orca

[u/Yankee9Niner]

It's a shame that Orca and Seal can't put aside their petty differences and remember that they are both mammals. If they were to reach out to one another and engage in meaningful dialogue they might just find they have much in common.