Decryption – These sometimes fatal annoyances have long been known and documented but remain mysterious. American researchers offer their explanations.
Killer whales are among the most powerful predators in the world. They live in highly distinct groups, and have acquired behaviors specific to their “tribe,” including hunting. While some populations are carnivorous, those in the North Pacific feed exclusively on fish. And while they regularly attack porpoises, going so far as to kill them, they never eat their flesh. This behavior, observed since the 1960s, still puzzles scientists to this day. In A study published in marine mammalogy , A team co-led by Deborah Giles, director of research at the University of Washington in the US, offers some answers.
The latter looked at a group of 75 killer whales living in the Salish Sea, in the North Pacific Ocean, known for their specialized diet, which consists of 50 to 100 percent salmon. Of the 78 interactions with…
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