'Transient Killer Whales' Share a Meal Off the Coast of Southern California
A pair of orca whales were spotted sharing a meal along the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California, video uploaded on June 27 shows.
Drone footage captured by Evan Brodsky shows the two killer whales gnawing at a sea lion’s carcass. Brodsky told Storyful that this behavior is known to biologists as “prey sharing.”
“Killer whales, being very social animals, share food just like us humans,” said Brodsky. “These are known as transient killer whales and they are closely studied and cataloged by The California Killer Whale Project.”
According to The California Killer Whale Project, transient killer whales are “mammal hunting killer whales and specialize in animals like harbour seals, harbour porpoises, sea lions, and occasionally other whales.” That’s opposed to resident whales, who “are critically endangered and primarily feed on Chinook Salmon.” Credit: @evanb_ocean/Evan Brodsky via Storyful
Video Transcript
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