A pod of orcas known as Moctezuma's pod has been observed using a precise technique to hunt young great white sharks by flipping them upside down, inducing paralysis to extract their livers. Marine biologists documented two such events in 2020 and 2022, highlighting the whales' intelligence and possible links to shifting ocean conditions. This behavior suggests orcas may target white sharks more often than previously thought.
In the Gulf of California, Mexico, researchers have captured footage of orcas employing a sophisticated hunting method against juvenile great white sharks. The pod, named Moctezuma's after a local historical figure, flips the sharks onto their backs, triggering tonic immobility—a temporary paralysis that leaves the predators defenseless. The orcas then extract the nutrient-rich livers, abandoning the rest of the carcass.
The first incident occurred in August 2020, when five orcas pursued and flipped two juvenile white sharks during routine monitoring. They drove the sharks to the surface, coordinated to turn them over, and resurfaced with the livers. Two years later, in August 2022, a similar attack unfolded: five orcas pushed another young shark onto its back, causing it to bleed from the gills as they fed on its exposed liver.
"This behavior is a testament to orcas' advanced intelligence, strategic thinking, and sophisticated social learning, as the hunting techniques are passed down through generations within their pods," said Erick Higuera Rivas, lead author of the study and project director at Conexiones Terramar and Pelagic Life.
The researchers identified the orcas by dorsal fin markings, confirming they belong to Moctezuma's pod, previously known for hunting rays, whale sharks, and bull sharks. This experience likely refined their approach to great whites. "When turned upside down, a shark enters a temporary paralysis known as tonic immobility... This temporary state renders the shark defenseless, allowing the orcas to extract its nutrient-rich liver," Higuera explained.
Scientists note this is the first documented repeated targeting of juvenile white sharks by orcas. "Adult white sharks react quickly to hunting orcas, completely evacuating their seasonal gathering areas... But these juvenile white sharks may be naive to orcas," said co-author Dr. Salvador Jorgensen of California State University.
Warmer ocean temperatures from climate cycles like El Niño may be shifting white shark nursery zones, bringing more juveniles into the gulf and creating opportunities for the pod. "If that trend continues, young sharks could become a seasonal food source," the study suggests. Further research is planned to assess if white sharks form a regular part of the orcas' diet and to identify critical habitats for conservation. Co-author Dr. Francesca Pancaldi emphasized, "Generating information about the extraordinary feeding behavior of killer whales in this region will lead us to understand where their main critical habitats are, so we can create protected areas."
The findings were published in Frontiers in Marine Science on November 3, 2025.