These shots are as spectacular as they are seldom:
A family of around 15 orcas attack a humpback whale off the coast of Western Australia.
Together they attack the whale again and again – the fight lasts four hours.
The video is made during a tour of the family company Whale Watch Western Australia. Around 40 tourists watch the hunt from around 200 meters away:
“We knew we were observing something significant. The orcas were in full attack mode and the humpback whale was desperately trying to defend itself. ”Gemma Sharp Whale Watch Western Australia
One of the killer whales grabs the victim’s fin and tries to roll him onto his back. A tried and tested tactic used by whales to drown marine mammals.
But the whale is not easy prey: the young bull beats away the attackers with his fluke. Finally he seeks shelter under the whale watcher’s boat. There he finds cover for about an hour – while the orcas keep trying to drive him away. But the whale continues to hold out.
After a while, some orcas have left the scene – the humpback whale swims out from under the boat and tries to get to safety. One last attack by the orcas fails and they let go of the animal.
Orcas are intelligent animals that hunt seals and other marine mammals in groups. Usually, they do not attack adult humpback whales, but instead focus on the animals’ calves.
“In this case, they were hoping he was still young and had little experience,” says Gemma Sharp of Whale Watch Western Australia.
The humpback whale moves towards the coast with minor injuries: it has lost its dorsal fin – the fluke and flipper, which are important for swimming in the water, remain unharmed.
Source: Whale Watching Western Australia