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.