Marine biologists have documented orcas, also known as killer whales, engaging in a striking predatory behavior: pulverizing a large sunfish into thousands of pieces. The unprecedented action was captured on camera in the Gulf of California on two occasions, once in 2024 and again in 2025.
The victim was a sunfish weighing approximately 4,000 pounds, one of the largest and heaviest fish species in the ocean. In the footage, a female orca appeared to hold the dead sunfish steady, preparing it for a male orca to then strike with significant force, disintegrating the fish.
Dr. Kathryn Ayres, a scientist at Beneath The Waves, described the scene, noting that the fish was already dead before the orcas' forceful interaction. This suggests the behavior is not a method of killing but rather a unique way of processing prey. Following the sunfish's disintegration, adult orcas consumed the remains, while juveniles were observed feeding on the debris.
Ayres theorized that this behavior could serve multiple purposes. It may be a method of breaking down the large prey into smaller, more manageable portions for the entire group, including calves, similar to how a human might cut food for children. Alternatively, the pulverization could help tenderize the fish and make its nutrients more accessible. Sunfish possess a thick, rubbery outer layer that contains a unique microbiome, and smashing the fish might disperse these microbes into the water, enhancing nutrient absorption for the orcas.
A third possibility, according to Ayres, is that the behavior is simply a form of play. Orcas are known for their complex social interactions and have been observed engaging in various playful activities with their prey, such as punting seals into the air or wearing salmon carcasses as hats. This destructive interaction with the sunfish could be another example of orcas deriving amusement from their prey. Researchers are interested in gathering more detailed footage to identify individual orcas and track their behaviors over time, which could provide further insights into these observed techniques.