Researchers have documented orcas in the Gulf of California using a previously undescribed technique to break apart sunfish carcasses. In two encounters, one orca held the fish while another rammed it at high speed, shattering the tissue into thousands of fragments. The behavior was observed in July 2024 and September 2025.
Dr. Kathryn Ayres of Beneath the Waves described the method in a 2026 study published in Frontiers in Ethology. "We document how one orca holds the sunfish and lets go just before another orca hits it at high speed, causing the tissue to break apart into thousands of pieces," she said. The team believes the approach may assist younger orcas with feeding or serve a playful purpose.
The first event involved a group that included a juvenile and targeted a sharp-tail sunfish already killed by the orcas. A female gripped the fish by its tail fin before releasing it for a male to strike. Fragments drifted through the water, which the juvenile consumed.
A second similar incident was recorded by Héctor Franz in September 2025. Researchers note that the behavior has only been seen with sharp-tail sunfish and may represent a form of prey processing or social interaction.
