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S43E8: Expedition Killer Whale | Preview

What Is Wave Washing: How Killer Whales Hunt Seals

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Killer whales rarely risk hunting leopard seals – Antarctica’s second top predator. But when reinforcement whales appear, this group of killer whales has a technique for capturing this aggressive predator: wave washing.

TRANSCRIPT

Out of nowhere, reinforcements arrive.

- Now you're well and truly surrounded by pack-ice killer whales, everyone.

- And get straight to wave washing.

The killer whale's first wave is designed to reduce the size of the ice.

- It has broken the piece almost in half.

- Which will increase the impact of the waves to follow.

But the leopard seal has a counter move.

- The leopard seal's now hiding in this channel that's been left in the ice.

- The killer whales stopped to assess the situation.

- They seem to be having a discussion.

- I mean, from what I can see, I think there might be some more waves coming In an incredible display of coordination, they approach from a different angle.

Swimming on their sides, the whales drive as much water upwards as possible.

The faster and closer to the surface they swim, the taller the wave.

- So they're increasing the amplitude and the power in each of the waves to really flush the leopard seal out.

- This is gonna be amazing.

- With a synchronized flick of their tails, they aim the full force of their wave directly at the seal.

But the seal has the strength to hold on.

An hour and a half in, the whales continue to spy hop to plan their next move.

- I can almost sense their frustration.

- I would say only a handful of people on this planet have actually seen wave washing firsthand.

I mean, I've been coming to Antarctica since 2009, that's the first time I've seen that behavior.

- The leopard seals are really agile, so it's able to jump straight back out onto the ice.

Something that a weddell seal wouldn't be able to do.

That means for the killer whales is they have to make lots more waves.

Because what they need is the seal in the water in order to catch it.

- This is a battle between Antarctica's two top predators.

For two hours, the whales send wave after wave at the seal.

- He's still up there but fighting to stay on.

When you think about the amount of energy that is expended to catch one seal.

- Eventually the exhausted leopard seal can fight no more.

The killer whales deliver one precision bite to its powerful swim muscles.