Rare and Incredible Footage Shows Humpback Whales Disrupting an Orca Hunt

In amongst the ice flows of Antarctica, something incredible is happening. A pod of killer whales are organizing themselves into a hunting party. Out of nowhere, two humpback whales appear – apparently with the intent of disrupting the orca hunt. Why would they do this?

Watch the Incredible Encounter Below

The most popular theory is that it is a defensive behavior. We know that killer whales will hunt humpback whale calves. This has resulted in the whales receiving any orca hunt as a threat. Therefore, they try to disrupt it. In this particular hunt, the humpbacks got there too late to save the seal. In a final display of superiority, one of the orcas parades right past the whales with the seal in its mouth!

Where Do Orcas Normally Live?

Orcas are also called killer whales, but their scientific name is Orcinus orca. They are found in all parts of the world as far north as the Arctic Ocean and as far south as the Antarctic where this clip was captured. On the whole, they seem to prefer colder waters but they have been spotted in much warmer seas. Unlike some other ocean species, they do not have formal migration patterns. Nevertheless, they do move around looking for the best food sources. 

As native species of aquatic marine habitats, they seem to have a preference for depths of between 60 feet and 200 feet. They are also frequent visitors to coastline shallow waters where they find a significant proportion of their food. They will also dive much deeper if necessary.

What Do Orcas Normally Eat?

Orcas have a well-deserved reputation for being highly successful predators. They hunt a wide range of prey which includes seals, dolphins, and sea lions. However, they also supplement this with smaller prey such as fish, sea turtles, and seabirds if they can get hold of them.

Importantly, they are social hunters and work as a team to hunt prey that is much larger than themselves. They don’t have the name killer whale for anything – they can and do kill whales including humpbacks. Interactions between these two species appear to be on the increase and do not always go well. Violent confrontations have been recorded but scientists are not sure if this is predatory or territorial behavior.

A humpback whale calf would be a common target. Also, a group of experienced orcas would be willing to attack an adult humpback whale. That said, they would not always be successful!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © slowmotiongli/Shutterstock.com