Over the last several days there has been 2 cases of pod(s) of orcas (killer whales) attacking and killing minke whales.
First off, its rare to even see a solitary orca off newfoundland so much as a pod of some 15 whales or possibly 2 pods or close to the same number. Scientists have yet to confirm if or if not this is a different pod.
Further, only 5 times before, world wild, have attacks by orcas on Minkes ever been reported by witnessed...... so much as video taped.
This is leading to some interesting questions here regarding environmental factors. Certainly, the caplin (a primary food of most all atlantic whales) was late arriving this year and as such so were the whales. while that isn't uncommon the orcas killing other whales certainly isn't. arctic ice conditions were very light here this spring so likely something is out of sorts with the regular food sources of the orcas....like seals and sea lions. Whatever the reason, these whales are hungry and are willing to tackle non-traditional prey with great expenditure of energy and risk to their own safety as a minke is neither a small or weak creature itself.
What you will see in the videos is the pod circling the targeted whale. Then the larger males will bite off the minkes' tail flipper to eliminate its ability to create propulsion (much like piranha will do to their prey). Then the whole pod will get on top of the injured minke and drown it. After the poor beast is dead they then feed.
first attack
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/08/13/orcas-on-hunt-in-nl-813.html
second attack
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/08/18/nl-trinity-orcas-818.html
First off, its rare to even see a solitary orca off newfoundland so much as a pod of some 15 whales or possibly 2 pods or close to the same number. Scientists have yet to confirm if or if not this is a different pod.
Further, only 5 times before, world wild, have attacks by orcas on Minkes ever been reported by witnessed...... so much as video taped.
This is leading to some interesting questions here regarding environmental factors. Certainly, the caplin (a primary food of most all atlantic whales) was late arriving this year and as such so were the whales. while that isn't uncommon the orcas killing other whales certainly isn't. arctic ice conditions were very light here this spring so likely something is out of sorts with the regular food sources of the orcas....like seals and sea lions. Whatever the reason, these whales are hungry and are willing to tackle non-traditional prey with great expenditure of energy and risk to their own safety as a minke is neither a small or weak creature itself.
What you will see in the videos is the pod circling the targeted whale. Then the larger males will bite off the minkes' tail flipper to eliminate its ability to create propulsion (much like piranha will do to their prey). Then the whole pod will get on top of the injured minke and drown it. After the poor beast is dead they then feed.
first attack
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/08/13/orcas-on-hunt-in-nl-813.html
second attack
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/08/18/nl-trinity-orcas-818.html
