Watch A Killer Whale Slam And Toss A Dolphin Like A Professional Wrestler

Whale watching is an awesome experience that helps you connect with marine mammals in their natural environment. Aside from killer whales, you’re likely to spot sea lions, dolphins, and other types of whales. How they behave is unpredictable, which makes each trip one-of-a-kind.

Watch the Amazing Footage Below!

In this video, you tag along with several other boats out on the water as they enjoy an incredible spectacle. Not only are they getting an unbelievable view of killer whales mere feet from their boats, but they also get the kind of surprise that has them all gasping in unison.

Do Killer Whales And Dolphins Get Along?

Although killer whales are a type of dolphin, they don’t shy away from hunting, injuring, and feasting on dolphins. Dolphins have been spotted traveling alongside their much larger counterparts and though killer whales demonstrate annoyance if they’re transients in the area, they are unlikely to turn the dolphins into a meal.

Why dolphins choose to travel so close to killer whales in these situations is unknown. However, researchers believe they may be both enjoying the protective cover and learning more about the sea life that hunts them. Traveling alongside killer whales gives them a unique look into their speed, agility, and behaviors.

Do Killer Whales Breach For Fun?

Killer whales breach for a variety of reasons, fun being one of them. This is especially true for younger whales, as they enjoy engaging in play behavior. Mostly, however, whales breach as a form of communication. They communicate with their pods, and the loud splashes send signals to others.

They may also breach as a form of exercise, if they’re afraid, and of course, for simple enjoyment. In this video, you watch how killer whales swim and breach alongside dolphins, but the behavior is far from playful. The killer whale rams a dolphin mid-air before continuing its awe-inspiring leap out of the water.

The dolphin takes a serious hit and it’s unknown if it survived the impact. Killer whales often injure dolphins before turning them into a meal because it renders them weak and easier to prey upon. The crowd erupts in gasps, screams, and expletives. They got more than they bargained for that day, and the person behind the camera managed to capture the footage to share with the world.

Is It Normal for Orcas to Attack Dolphins?

In the Northern Hemisphere, there are two different types of killer whales that dolphins would be exposed to: the resident orca and Biggs’ killer whale. While these two creatures may technically be the same species, they display markedly different behaviors, and the dolphins seem to take notice. The resident orcas are strictly fish-eaters and will avoid red meat like dolphins, these orcas are also slightly less aggressive than their counterparts. The Biggs’, or transient, orca is another story: these aquatic mammals are easily agitated and much less picky in their preferences for prey, being the only predators known to regularly eat dolphins. Since the Biggs’ orca and the resident orca have been observed avoiding each others’ presence at all costs, dolphins may accompany the resident orca for protection.

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