9. Killer Whales Are the Masters of Stealth
We spoke about killer whales having effective ocean camouflage, but some pods of orcas go even further than relying on their coloration. Orcas have been observed hiding in the dark of the ocean, completely silent, relying on their excellent hearing to passively track prey before going in for the kill. This behavior was noted in the far northern reaches, which sometimes only have a few hours of darkness. Therefore, it must be incredibly effective and efficient to keep the killer whales sustained.
This method is most often seen in the mammal-eating orca groups, such as transient and offshore groups, and is distinct from the pods which eat mostly fish. The fish-eating pods are exceptionally vocal, “talking” to each other often, while the mammal-eating groups often only vocalize after they’ve secured their kill. One scientist speculates that their burst of communication after a kill is largely because of the need for speed and precision in dismantling their prey! And while some scientists thought that the silent killer whales hunted by sight alone, the fact that they hunted in the dark shows that they can also rely on their excellent hearing to track and corner prey.