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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Orcas seen ramming prey so hard it explodes may be playing game

Two orcas swim underwater
Orcas have been known to exhibit play behaviour such as throwing kelp at each other and engaging in tactical games. Photograph: James RD Scott/Getty Images

Orcas have been observed ramming into giant fish so hard that the prey explode, possibly as a form of gory entertainment.

On several occasions, orcas were observed to hold sunfish in their jaws while a second whale smashed into the target at high speed, causing it to break into thousands of pieces. Since the fish had already been killed, scientists suggested the behaviour may represent a form of play.

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