Orcas Hunting Dolphins in this very unique birds eye footage, captured during an Oceans Around Us expedition.
Orca populations across the globe are divided into distinct ecotypes, each with specialized hunting strategies and a strong preference for particular types of prey. These dietary differences are a defining characteristic of the various groups. For instance, the offshore orcas that roam the open waters of the North Pacific are known to prey on fish and sharks, a diet that often leads to significant wear on their teeth due to the rough skin of their prey.
In the North Atlantic, different orca populations exhibit a similar pattern of dietary specialization. North Atlantic orcas tend to have a more varied diet, feeding on abundant schools of herring and mackerel, and have also been observed hunting seals.
Other groups in the same area even switch to feeing on lumpfish during a short part of the year:
The waters surrounding Antarctica are home to several fascinating ecotypes with highly specific diets. The large Type A orcas patrol open waters, preying on minke whales. Type B orcas are further divided, with one group known for creating waves to wash seals off ice floes and another smaller group that hunts penguins near the Antarctic Peninsula. The smallest ecotype, the Type C orca, is found in the Ross Sea and primarily feeds on Antarctic toothfish. This remarkable diversity in prey choice allows different orca ecotypes to coexist in the same broader regions without directly competing for food.
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