Citizen scientists and dedicated researchers have unveiled the hunting skills of a mysterious orca population off the coast of Chile, shedding light on their role in the Humboldt Current ecosystem and paving the way for conservation efforts.
A Glimpse into the Orca Hunt
Off the coast of Chile in the waters of the Humboldt Current system, a research team led by Dr Ana García Cegarra from Universidad de Antofagasta has made a surprising finding about a population of orcas that was hitherto unknown.
In the first ever case of observing them successfully hunting dusky dolphins, throughout a mix of citizen science and methodical surveys the researchers have seen these orcas execute this strategy. The new evidence of what they ate can help researchers understand how these top ocean predators fit into the ecosystem.
The video above shows it in action, including (at 51 seconds) a catch by the matriarch, Dakota, who flings an airborne dusky dolphin. So, the fact that orcas were hunting was a small piece of information in support of thinking this ecotype was closer to Category A, although their morphology does not confirm that.
Genetic information will also allow them to test relationships with other orca ecotypes in the southern hemisphere, which may have direct conservation implications.
Cooperative Feeding and the Social Dynamics of Orcas
Food sharing orcas The researchers have also seen the Menacho pod of orcas food sharing, which is particularly interesting.
Female orcas have been seen giving their meals to other pod members, usually allowing their family members to feed first. This may support their young, or be part of entire hunting strategies. Development of such cooperative feeding habits have been observed in many orca populations…
Any food exchange at the Menacho pod is almost certainly a form of reciprocal altruism that serves to functionally intensify social bonds (and underpin kin ties as noted in Type A orcas killing sea lions).
The social dimensions of orca hunting and feeding behaviour reveal key details about their intricate societies, and why it is so critical to understand the role they play in the Humboldt Current ecosystem. Through revealing these previously unknown behaviors, the scientists are working to promote broader conservation efforts.
Conclusion
The hunting success of the Menacho pod and its social hierarchy adds a new layer to what we know about the orcas in the Humboldt Current system. With all efforts to locate this rare and unknown section of the orca population consistently failing, finding these supposedly peculiar personalities is a critical step in any future plans for their conservation. By enlisting the aid of citizen scientists and additional targeted investigations, the researchers should be able to reveal much more about the elusive orcas of the Humboldt Current — ensuring their place in this critical marine ecosystem for generations to come.
