Coordinated behavior of killer whales, Orcinus orca, hunting a crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophagus

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Smith, Thomas G., Siniff, Donald B., Reichle, Richard, Stone, Sheridan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1981
• Subjects: Crabeater Seal; Lobodon carcinophagus; Orca; Orcinus orca
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z81-167; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z81-167

A pod of seven killer whales (Orcinus orca) was seen to attack a lone crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus) which was lying on an ice floe. The whale located the seal, moved away from the floating ice, then swam as a group close to the floe. This caused a wave which tipped up the ice floe and broke...