In the latest instance of orcas joining forces to prey on another animal, a pod of orcas off the coast of California hunted a minke whale in their waters.
Whale watching might require patience, but it often results in some of the most breathtaking sights a human can witness. Monterey Bay in California has long been a popular spot for cetaceans like orcas and minke whales to live—and to hunt.
The Monterey Bay Whale Watch documents many of these encounters from their excursions with curious whale enthusiasts. On Dec. 9, whale watchers got an extremely rare sight in the area as a pod of more than a dozen orcas descended on a minke whale for some lunch.
"We documented the fifth-ever minke whale predation by killer whales ever seen in Monterey Bay in almost 40 years!" the organization shared in a Facebook post. "The last documented minke whale predation in Monterey Bay was in April of 2012." It estimated at least 15 orcas were there for the feeding frenzy, with a female named Emma "leading the charge on the predation." One of the group's photographers snapped a photo of the minke whale carcass that was left over after the orcas' meal.
Monterey Bay has been the location of some pretty rare sights recently when it comes to whale watching. Back in October, the Monterey Bay Whale Watch shared video an extremely rare sighting of Frosty, a white orca in the area. Earlier this year, witnesses got quite a show when upwards of 30 orcas were seen playing together for more than eight hours straight.
Orcas in other parts of the world are seemingly exacting revenge on humans, so maybe the news of a pod teaming up on a smaller whale is a sign that nature is healing.
