Killer Whale breaks Pseudo Orcas back in New Zealand

Just an orca, not the real deal!

A boat load of tourists on a dolphin sight seeing hunt got to witness nature at its most brutal when a killer whale flicked a pseudo orca high into the air, broke its back and ate both it and its calf in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

The attack occurred at the Black Rocks, about four nautical miles from Paihia, after a pod of eight killer whales chased more than a dozen pseudo orcas across the bay.

The tour boat was approximayely 50 to 100m away when the orca attack occurred, as the other orcas fled. The hungry animal's markings showed it was a female killer whale that chased the orca for several minutes, playing or toying with it,  flicking it about 10 metres into the air, before finally breaking the pseudo orca's back on her nose. Lunch is served!

What's a pseudorca you might ask? NZ Herald reveals:

Whale and dolphin researcher Dr Ingrid Visser said they got their name because their skulls were similar to orca.

"It [the pseudorca] is similar to a pilot whale but the skull closely resembles an orca.

"So when they first found the skulls they thought it was an orca.

"When they found out it wasn't, they called it a false orca or pseudorca.

"They look more like a pilot whale ... with a more pointed face."

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3 comments killer whale, orca