Orcas team up to ram sunfish until they explode

In the Gulf of California, orcas have been filmed using a remarkably violent hunting technique: they team up to ram sunfish with such force that the impact shatters their carcasses into fragments. Ars Technica reports on a new study in Frontiers in Ethology suggesting this behavior may help younger orcas learn to hunt more efficiently, or it could simply represent play—orcas are known for toying with their food. The finding adds to a catalog of sophisticated cooperative strategies these marine mammals employ, from creating waves to knock penguins off ice to coordinated attacks on much larger prey. Scientists increasingly believe such complex behaviors may be culturally transmitted within orca populations.

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