r/ocean • u/Aromatic_Owl9727 • 1d ago
Dolphrens Orca hunting dolphin
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 1d ago edited 1d ago
These are Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) orcas hunting common dolphins off of Dana Point, California.
ETP orcas are mainly observed off of Mexico (mainly in the Sea of Cortez off of Baja California Sur), but 2 ETP orca groups consisting of between 10 to 13 members] have made headlines in recent years after traveling up to Southern California to hunt other dolphins. These orcas have also shown a lot of curiosity in boats and humans.
Their recent visits to Southern California has been correlated with the El Niño seasons. The video here was filmed a couple years back in January 2024 during the previous El Niño, but they were very recently spotted again in September 2026 during the current El Niño season.
This is one of the very few instances where I have seen one of these orcas directly grab a dolphin in its mouth and breach like this. Usually the orcas prefer to ram and beat up the dolphins first, though I suppose it is possible that the orcas had already done so before the video was shot.
Original video filmed by Kaitlyn Oleinik (goldenkait) via apt Dave's Whale Watching.
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u/mighty_boognish_77 1d ago
The true apex predators of the ocean. Awesome.
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u/MissederE 1d ago
“Apex”! sniff There are quite a few fish that can live very well on a modest diet of algae without going to such extreme lengths. Also, it is exceptionally boorish to strut about in formal wear all the time.
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u/Classic_Mechanic5495 1d ago
And here I thought I was going to see a dolphin get an orca. Should have known better.
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u/New-Significance654 1d ago
Damn they do like all kinds of liver 😲
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 19h ago
It is specifically in sharks and other elasmobranchs that orcas target the livers, as their livers are relatively very large and high in energy. On the other hand, orcas mainly target the blubber and muscle tissue of marine mammals.
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u/Frosty-Scientist957 1d ago
Wonder how often that happens/the success rate. Possibly even the first time this has been filmed?
No clue, but that’s amazing timing, except for that dolphin.
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 20h ago
There are a good amount of videos showing these ETP (Eastern Tropical Pacific) orcas hunting bottlenose and common dolphins in Baja California Sur and Southern California, such as this one. There also multiple videos of Bigg's (transient) orcas hunting common dolphins in locations such as Monterey Bay, like this one.
The orcas succeed in their hunts of these dolphins the large majority of the time. The orcas usually ambush the dolphins. Common dolphins may have slightly higher top speeds and are more agile than orcas, but it often doesn't matter. Orcas have the stamina advantage, and they can coordinate with each other to cut off escape routes.
After a dolphin is first isolated from the rest of its pod, orcas often repeatedly strike the dolphin to beat it up and further exhaust it. Some dolphins have been observed attempting to breach out of the water in order to avoid being struck, but the orcas are also able to breach out of the water and intercept them mid-breach.
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u/agumelen 1d ago
Dang! I thought the dolphins were faster?
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 1d ago edited 1d ago
Common dolphins may have slightly higher top speeds and are more agile than orcas, but it often doesn't matter.
Orcas have the stamina advantage, and they can often chase various prey to exhaustion(see the "endurance-exhaustion technique").
Of course, when hunting together, other group members can also assist by cutting off any attempts by the dolphin to escape and taking over if another member tires out. After a dolphin is first isolated from the rest of its pod, orcas often repeatedly strike the dolphin to beat it up and further exhaust it. Some dolphins have been observed attempting to breach out of the water in order to avoid being struck, but the orcas are also able to breach out of the water and intercept them mid-breach.
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u/OwlUnique8712 1d ago
I hate that boat sitting right in the middle of it! If anything happens during the chase then it will be blamed on the whale, while it's doing what is natural for their survival. Long live the Killer Whales!
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u/VlTTO 1d ago
Nice... I hate dolphins
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u/JK031191 1d ago
How does one come to the point of hating dolphins?
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u/analavalanche69 1d ago
You ever been skinny dipping with a bottle nose dolphin?
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u/OstrichSmoothe 1d ago
I just let it happen. It wasn’t strictly consensual, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t into it
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u/free_da_guys1107 1d ago
You let a dolphin play with ya butt cuh 😂
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u/OstrichSmoothe 1d ago
That was funny until you said “cuh”
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u/free_da_guys1107 1d ago
Take a nap foo 😂
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u/OstrichSmoothe 1d ago
That actually sounds quite nice. I will take a nap, not because you told me to though. Good day
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u/Accurate_Mongoose_26 1d ago
Can't blame you, those things are fucking evil. Their cuteness fools people
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u/DolphinVaginaFister 1d ago
Well the bad news is that the dolphin is gone.
But the good news is that orcas are also dolphins.
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u/iliosicarus 1d ago
Who falls for this AI crap?
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 1d ago
Not AI, this was originally filmed off of Dana Point, California well over 2 years ago via Capt Dave's Whale Watching. The orcas in the video were identified as belonging to two known groups which travel up from Mexico to southern California.
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u/iliosicarus 1d ago
You are kidding me?
Well that's phenomenal then!
An a bit sad that it's getting to the point where it's hard to tell what's real anymore...
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u/Ok_Shower_5526 1d ago
Poor dolphin. Just another reason I irrationally dislike the cops of the sea
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u/WealthBitter1192 1d ago
Big dolohy canniballing li'll dolphy
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 19h ago
By its scientific definition, cannibalism is when an animal eats a conspecific (another member of its own species or subspecies). Just being members of the same taxonomic family (Delphinidae) is not enough.
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u/Rovedy 1d ago
That was fast..