Thiruvananthapuram, First Published Jan 31, 2022, 12:35 PM IST
The blue whale is the largest living creature on Earth. This is the first recorded record of a blue whale being hunted and killed by killer whales (Orcas). This is part of a study topic announced last week, but it happened in March 2019. These were recorded by researchers at the Cetacean Research Center (CETREC) in Australia and Project ORCA.
The killer whale is known for its ability to hunt and subdue its prey individually and in groups. However, no case has been reported of them killing the blue whales. “Blue whales are often hunted by killer whales, but this is the first case reported,” said Eric Hoyt, a researcher at the Whale & Dolphin Conservation.
The hunt was spotted while scientists were on board the annual survey of blue whales and killer whales. The killer whale killed the 72-foot-long blue whale. The killer whale was literally tearing the blue whale apart.
After regarding 20 minutes, the blue whale began to faint. And it began to swim in a circle. As the killer whales were constantly attacking it, it bled and the body became weak. A swarm of killer whales dragged it underwater. Before dying, the blue whale opened its mouth and was bitten by a female humpback whale. When the whale finally began to sink, it began to show signs of death. A total of regarding fifty killer whales joined in eating it.
On April 6, 2019, in a second attack, killer whales were reported to have killed a blue whale. The third attack was recorded on March 16, 2021. In a 97-minute hunt, a dozen killer whales chased the blue whale for 25 km.
Last Updated Jan 31, 2022, 12:36 PM IST
