Orca Hunting 101: Orca Feeding Behavior
Orcas are common in the waters around Alaska, so many whale watchers hope to see them in action during their visits. Orcas have a reputation as vicious predators in the ocean, so it’s only natural that you might want to learn about their feeding habits before you hope to see one yourself. Here’s a basic breakdown of how orcas approach hunting and feeding.
Transient Orcas vs. Resident Orcas
Before we get into orca hunting strategies, it’s important to understand that there are a few types of orcas that differ in their day-to-day behavior. The tree types are transient orcas, resident orcas, and offshore orcas. For our purposes here, the first two types are most relevant.
Transient orcas live in small pods, often ranging from three to seven total orcas. They move quietly in their small pack, careful not to spook their prey by making too much noise with communication. Transient orcas tend to go after large marine mammals like sea lions, which would be able to hear the orcas coming if they were overly vocal. So, transient orcas tend to only make noise after they’ve made a kill.
Resident orcas, on the other hand, travel in much larger pods of 10 to 50 total orcas. Rather than feeding on large marine mammals, they prefer to eat fish. Fish don’t run the risk of being spooked quite the same way that a sea lion would, so resident orcas are much more vocal with each other.
Importantly, orcas have no known predators in the ocean. They’re at the top of their food chain, and transient orcas, in particular, have certainly earned their “killer whale” nickname. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at exactly how orcas hunt.
Orca Hunting Strategies
Orcas have a few different strategies when they hunt. The first is often called the “wave wash,” which they use most often to catch seals and sea lions. Seals often perch on blocks of ice to stay out of the water and out of harm’s way. But orcas are smart. They quickly swim towards the seal’s ice in a group formation, creating a wave. When they reach the ice, they dive underneath it, leaving a wave that crashes on top of the ice and pushes the seal off.
The second strategy is used to catch sharks. Orcas are the only known predator for great white sharks, but orcas are still at risk of being injured as they hunt. To mitigate the risk, they use their tails to push the sharks to the surface, then bring their tails down right on the shark’s head. The orcas then flip the shark onto its back, which effectively paralyzes the shark. Without the threat of attack, the orcas can then enjoy their meal safely.
These are just two examples of how orcas hunt in the wild, but you can see why they’re so successful as predators. They’re incredibly smart creatures, and they change their hunting methods to adapt to each species they’re going after. If you’re lucky enough to see orcas hunting in person, look out for these methods!
How to See Orcas Feeding in Juneau.
Orcas can be found on virtually every whale watching trip out of Juneau during the summer months, between roughly May and September each year. It’s less common for tour groups to witness orcas feeding or capturing their prey, but don’t worry—these beautiful mammals are incredibly interesting even when they’re just moving through the water. Consider adding a whale watching trip to your next Alaska visit to see for yourself!
Orcas in Alaska.
During a peaceful summer morning, a pod of Orcas graced us with their presence. It was such a delightful experiencing them in such a calming manner (usually they are speeding right by the boat on a mission!). Hope you enjoy watching them as much as I did.
