Orcas ram sunfish so hard prey explodes, may be playing

natureJul 23, 202631252

Researchers filmed orcas in the Gulf of California ramming giant sunfish so forcefully the dead prey burst into clouds of tissue, prompting scientists to suggest the behaviour may be play or a way to help juveniles feed. Dr Kathryn Ayres of Beneath The Waves captured the first event on a GoPro in July 2024, showing a female orca holding a sunfish tail while an adult male accelerated and struck, producing an audible crunch and a plume of white fragments; a juvenile then ate small pieces while adults consumed the main carcass. Erick Higuera of Conexiones Terramar, co-author of the study, described the acoustic thud and the “explosion of tissue” in the footage. A second instance was recorded by a tourism operator in September 2025; both events occurred off Mexico’s coast but researchers do not know if the same individuals were involved. Sunfish can exceed three metres in length and weigh up to 2,000 kg, and scientists published the findings in Frontiers in Ethology, arguing the sequence requires coordinated planning. Investigators say the ramming could break tough sunfish tissue into bite-size pieces for smaller jaws, while noting orcas also display social games with no clear practical purpose. Increased underwater cameras from eco-tour operators are revealing new behaviours, though researchers flagged concerns about wildlife tourism and noted Mexico introduced new regulations on swimming with orcas last year.

Alex von Tunzelmann

@alexvont.bsky.social

Sunfish explosions, dead salmon hats, fuck dem yachts… orcas have the darkest sense of humour in the sea and under no circumstances should we get on their bad side

1631h ago

James Chalmers77

I like how this makes it seem like the Guardian are particularly worried about them.

Alex von Tunzelmann28

Orca vibes are very. Except Veronica Orca never gets cold feet. Orcas do not have feet.

👾 Cause 👾1

Think it’s a bit late for that

Mark Sugrue 🇪🇺1

Always thought 'sea pandas' would be a better name for them than 'killer whales'

cageyratfish (UTC-7) 🐟🏳️‍⚧️

@cageyratfish.bsky.social

The coolest thing is when the sunfish (Mola sp.) explodes, you get to see how gelatinous & insubstantial the flesh of these giant fish is. Even their skeleton is mostly cartilage, not true bone, altho they are teleosts Maybe this is how orcas say "Everyone knows mola mola taste just like ass"

293h ago

Liz Roderick, prokleto crnogorsko prezime6

“Ram the dum fish so hard it go boom” glad there are assholes in other species too

Brett "Solidarity 2026" Banditelli5

This video is next tier. It makes me wanna be a go pro guy so bad but I have no use

Sweet summer MISANDR2

A friend of mine is the one who wrote the infamous sunfish post.

ABC News Australia

@news.abc.net.au

Orcas filmed ramming sunfish so hard it explodes in a cloud of scraps

214h ago

Quoting this

Leena 🌵24

some days you’re the orca, and some days you’re the sunfish

aure 🌰🍂10

The sunfish was already dead and has an abrasive skin which is difficult to eat. So they weren't hunting but basically cooking 🍽️

benjamin8

I was not prepared for the sound

Bel6

Lo de las Orcas es una cosa…

Damon Young5

Filmed by Christopher Nolan on IMAX (2026).

Lexi4

i bet for a fraction of a second this felt so good

Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Humphrey's Executor2

When the developer cuts the budget for death animations.

The Broad Majestic Shannon2

Seeing this makes me really grateful that orcas aren't out for humans (unless they're on yachts).

Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS

@euanritchie.bsky.social

One day, orcas might decide to start eating humans, and then... www.youtube.com/shorts/1u0v0...

113h ago

Craig2

I've always felt the "They never attack people." comment needed to be slightly modified. "They never attack people where anyone lives to tell the tale."

Michael Dahlstrom

@michaeldahlstrom.bsky.social

Tourism operators have documented orcas working together to "explode" sunfish. Startling video shows chunks of fish spreading through the ocean after contact. Scientists have 2 theories about why they're doing this. au.news.yahoo.com/diver-in-sho...

44h ago

Hugo Gordon

@hugogordon.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/environment/... Me: "Orcas are such amazing, beautiful, fascinating creatures." Orcas:

51h ago

Adrianna Tan

@skinnylatte.hachyderm.io.ap.brid.gy

Exhilarating captain's log entry from Monterey Bay where the captain and passengers of Sanctuary Cruises captures incredible video of a pod of Bigg's killer whales hunting a 15 dolphins. High wire acrobatics etc. "Seeing a predation event of this scale is a stark reminder of the raw, trophic […]

2Yesterday

Avon DeRussate

@avondeer.bsky.social

"Orcas seen ramming prey so hard it explodes may be playing game" www.theguardian.com/environment/...

11h ago

RNZ News Feeds

@rnzrss.bsky.social

Killer whales: orcas blow fish to bits 'for fun', study finds

13h ago

Climate, Ecology, War & More - Dr Glen Barry BigEarthData.ai

@bigearthdata.ai

Orcas Are Ramming 2,000-Pound Sunfish Until They Explode - And It Might Just Be for Fun ->ZME Science | More on "Orcas ramming sunfish for fun" at BigEarthData.ai

33h ago

👽💜🧚🏾‍♀️BillyOcean🐄💚🛸

@theb3atskeet.blacksky.app

Orcas are lil menaces!!! I cannot stress that enough 😭😭 www.cnn.com/2026/07/23/s...

32h ago

Juan

@yikesanotherday.eurosky.social

I was brought up not to play with my food. The video purportedly shows an Orca holding an already killed Sunfish in its jaws, whilst a second Orca rams the Sunfish at speed, causing it to break up into thousands of pieces. @ladyfluffyorca.bsky.social

2Just now

Your friendly neighborhood Autism Creature

@splumpi.bsky.social

I know orcas are terrifying and that sunfish don't really need a brain to exist but holy FUCK

22h ago

Richard August

@rpgaugust.bsky.social

What’s the description from The Call of Cthulhu… ‘a slushy nastiness as of a cloven sunfish’? Turns out, it’s pretty good description. As demonstrated by Orcas. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

12h ago

Travesty-Account Holder 77

@rebussy.bsky.social

"Don't call them killer whales, that's so negative... they're really sociable animals..." Meanwhile... www.theguardian.com/environment/...

11h ago

1 source

theguardian.comOrcas seen ramming prey so hard it explodes may be playing game

Orcas ram sunfish so hard prey explodes, may be playingnature

Orcas ram sunfish so hard prey explodes, may be playing

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