For the first time, scientists have captured video evidence of orcas cooperatively hunting whale sharks, the largest species of fish on Earth. This graphic footage proves that whale sharks are a regular part of some orcas’ diets, and solves the mystery of how they are able to kill the massive fish.

Off the coast of Mexico, scientists have observed a pod of killer whales adapting new skills to help them hunt these docile giants of the sea.

A pod of orcas ( Orcinus orca) that patrol the Gulf of California have devised collaborative hunting techniques to take down the biggest fish in the ocean: the magnificent, filter-feeding whale shark ( Rhincodon typus ).

Orcas have been up to all sorts of things in 2024 – from sinking boats to reinstating fashion trends, these super-intelligent marine predators often make the news. While they have been up to some more wholesome antics,