Orcas filmed tearing apart giant Sunfish with new hunting technique

The animals worked together to hold and ram giant sharp-tail sunfish. (Picture: Live Science) Orcas have been filmed using a hunting technique that scientists say has not been recorded before. Researchers observed the marine predators working together to hold and ram a giant sunfish so forcefully that its body broke into thousands of small pieces.The behaviour was seen twice in the Gulf of California, more than a year apart. The researchers believe the technique may help younger orcas feed more easily. They also say it is possible the animals were playing with their food, something orcas are already known to do. The findings have been published in the journal Frontiers in Ethology.Sunfish are among the heaviest bony fish in the world. They can grow to more than 3 metres in length and weigh up to 2,000 kilograms. They often come to the surface of the sea to rest, regulate their body temperature or allow other animals to remove parasites from their skin. At the surface, they become easier targets for predators such as orcas.Processing the preyThe researchers studied two separate hunting events involving sharp-tail sunfish. During the first event, in July 2024, scientist Dr Kathryn Ay...