Buzz
TPO - From sinking ships, devouring shark livers, to tossing dolphins around for amusement, the killer whale is exhibiting some frightening behaviors, at times truly alarming.
The killer whale (Orcinus orca) is the apex predator capable of hunting prey much larger than itself. (Photo: Asahi Shimbun Premium via Getty Images)In March 2019, off the southwest coast of Australia, researchers witnessed a horrifying scene: dozens of killer whales charging at one of the largest creatures on Earth to kill. The killer whale swallowed massive chunks of flesh from the ribs of a mature blue whale, which died an hour later. This was the first recorded case of a killer whale devouring a blue whale, but certainly not the last.
Recently, killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been observed kidnapping baby sperm whales and tearing apart shark carcasses to feast on their livers. Off the coasts of Spain and Portugal, a small pod of killer whales even rammed and sank a boat. All these incidents demonstrate the high intelligence of these top predators.
Deborah Giles, a killer whale researcher at the University of Washington and the non-profit organization Wild Orca, states: 'These are creatures with extremely complex brains and highly evolved cognitive abilities. Their brains have developed significantly in areas related to memory and emotion compared to the human brain.'
Scientists also suggest that humans may indirectly make killer whales smarter by altering ocean conditions. Human-induced climate change could compel killer whales to rely more on each other for learning.
