Orcas Cooperatively Ram Sunfish to Fragment Prey in Newly Documented Behavior

Scientists have documented a remarkable new cooperative hunting technique in orcas: one individual holds a sunfish by the tail while another rams it at high speed, causing the prey to explode into fragments. The behavior was captured on video in the Gulf of California in July 2024 and September 2025, and published in Frontiers in Ethology on July 23, 2026 Source: CNN, Infobae.

What Happened

Kathryn Ayres of Beneath The Waves and colleagues observed two independent episodes of this "ram-to-fragment" strategy. In both cases, the sunfish (a sharp-tailed sunfish, Masturus lanceolatus, weighing up to 2,000 kg) was already dead. A female orca gripped the tail fin, then released it just before a male struck it head‑on, pulverizing the body into thousands of pieces. Juveniles fed on the small fragments while adults consumed the larger remains Source: elmundoes, Heraldo de México.

Possible Explanations

The technique likely serves multiple purposes:

• Feeding facilitation: Breaking the tough, abrasive skin (similar to shark skin) makes the prey easier for young orcas to eat Source: Infobae.
• Social play: Orcas are known to manipulate objects for fun, and the behavior may reinforce social bonds and hunting skills Source: CNN, Heraldo de México.
• Energy efficiency: Ramming may be less taxing on teeth than tearing the sunfish, as suggested by John Totterdell of the Cetacean Research Centre Source: Infobae.

Significance

This is the first documented use of deliberate ramming to process prey in orcas. Monika Wieland Shields of the Orca Behavior Institute noted it was "an incredible behavior to witness" Source: CNN. The study adds to the growing evidence of orcas' cultural transmission of specialized hunting strategies, including their recent attacks on yachts off Spain and Portugal.