Size doesn’t matter to killers

KILLER whales hunting and killing an adult blue whale has been observed for the first time through surveys led by Cetacean Research Centre WA.

They are known to prey on large whale calves globally, such as grey and humpback whales, but until now it was not known whether they hunt and kill the largest whale.

“When we arrived about 14 killer whales were attacking the blue in 70m waters, with the female killer whales leading the attack,” Flinders University PHD candidate Isabella Reeves said.

CETREC lead researcher John Totterdell said that close to the end of the attack, a female killer whale lunged head first into the blue’s mouth, presumably to feed on the tongue.

Just two weeks after the adult blue whale was killed, a blue whale calf was taken by many of the same individuals.

“It is suggested that killer whale predation has impeded grey whale population recovery in the northwest Pacific,” Mr Totterdell said.

“In Australia, with many whale species known to be targeted by killer whales, the impact of their predation on these populations remains unknown.”