Orcas team up to ram sunfish until they explode
Scientists have documented orcas in Mexico's Gulf of California cooperating to ram sunfish carcasses at high speed, shattering them into fragments in a previously unrecorded hunting behaviour. Described in a new paper in the journal Frontiers in Ethology, the "ram-to-fragment" tactic goes beyond the usual method of stripping flesh from prey and may help younger orcas feed more easily or simply be a form of play, according to researchers. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that orcas use sophisticated, cooperative and possibly culturally transmitted hunting strategies.
Researchers, led by co-author Kathryn Ayres of the nonprofit Beneath The Waves, recorded two incidents captured by tourism operators. The first, in July 2024 off San Jose del Cabo, saw a male orca charge at a sunfish carcass held by a female, fragmenting it so a juvenile and adults could feed. The second, in September 2025 near Isla Cerralvo, involved one orca holding a dead sunfish while another rammed it at speed. The behaviour appears specific to sharp-tail sunfish, possibly due to the species' physical structure, and may represent a form of parental investment by helping juveniles access smaller, manageable food pieces.
In short
- Orcas filmed ramming sunfish carcasses until they shatter into fragments
- New "ram-to-fragment" hunting tactic recorded twice in Gulf of California
- May help juveniles feed, or simply be orcas playing with food
Explained simply
Orcas are highly intelligent marine mammals found in oceans worldwide. They are apex predators that hunt in social groups and have been observed using different hunting techniques in different regions, suggesting these strategies may be learned and shared within populations.
Researchers have documented orcas in Mexico's Gulf of California using a previously unrecorded hunting method on sunfish. The technique involves orcas ramming sunfish carcasses at high speed to break them into smaller fragments, rather than stripping flesh in the traditional way.
This behaviour may help younger orcas access food more easily, or could be a form of play. The discovery adds to evidence that orcas develop sophisticated, cooperative hunting strategies that are specific to particular populations and may be culturally transmitted between generations.