16. They Take On Pods of Sperm Whales
Sperm whales are the largest toothed aquatic mammal, growing over 50 feet long and weighing over 60 tons. They often hunt in the deeper reaches of the ocean, and can hold their breath for over 2 hours. And yet, killer whales have been observed hunting them, and sperm whales have been observed exhibiting almost fearful responses to the orca pods. Instead of going on the offensive, sperm whales under assault by a pod of killer whales group up into a defensive position!
In one such case off the coast of Sri Lanka, a group of just 5 killer whales took on a half-dozen sperm whales, using their incredible speed to bash the sperm whales from all directions, biting them whenever they had the chance. And despite the sperm whales likely being able to kill a killer whale with the force of their tail slaps, the sperm whales didn’t seem to be fighting. After over half an hour, it appeared that the orcas had separated a juvenile sperm whale from the pack and either drowned or eaten it.