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> There's evidence to suggest that orcas use tonic immobility to prey on sharks. > In 1997, an Orca in the Farallon Islands was seen holding a White Shark upsi
by kendallpark 7y ago
> There's evidence to suggest that orcas use tonic immobility to prey on sharks.
> In 1997, an Orca in the Farallon Islands was seen holding a White Shark upside down for 15 minutes. Whether intentional or not, the Orca likely caused the shark to enter tonic immobility. Defenceless, the shark, suffocated. This also happened again in 2000.
> In New Zealand, Orcas also seem to use tonic immobility to hunt stingrays. Before attacking the orcas will turn themselves upside down. Then, holding the stingray in their mouth, they'll quickly right themselves. Flipping their prey upside down.
https://www.sharktrust.org/tonic-immobility https://www.sharktrust.org/tonic-immobility
- avip 7y agoI was taught to hold birds like that, TIL it has a name and it's a thing. IANAO, but it works on herons and pelicans.
- mizzao 7y agoIANAO = I am not an ornithologist?
- scbrg 7y agoPlease let it be I am not an orca!
- stjohnswarts 7y agothis seems most likely given the subject matter of the article and my exceeedingly accurate knowledge of human nature. tips fedora
- blotter_paper 7y agoPersonally, I think it would cooler if avip is an orca posting on HN.
- ummwhat 7y agoI hope not. He/she might be trying to lure you in with an interesting comment but next thing you know you're upside down, immobile, and suffocating.
- js2 7y agoAnd lizards... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6yuEuvXOnA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6yuEuvXOnA
- edoo 7y agoI wonder if they got this right: "But some shark species that enter tonic immobility are apex predators. So, don’t have many natural predators." All apex predator younglings are easy game until they are adults.
- BurningFrog 7y agoUnless their mom is around protecting them. Like bears and, I assume, Orcas do.
- celticninja 7y agoOrcas definitely do. Orcas will fuck up great whites that are near their calves, let alone of they are actively threatening them.
- edoo 7y agoWhen I was growing up I was ripped out of my Disney fantasy of nature by a video of wildebeest stomping out lion cubs they found left alone. They knew exactly what they were doing and what kind of threat they represented.
- wallace_f 7y agoEven when I was grown up I was again ripped out of yet another fantasy of nature, I guess it is my nature documentary fantasy -- about how they choke their prey to death. Apparently instead, usually they do not choke it to dearh if they even choke at all and just start eating; and they usually start by ripping holes open at the genitals, anus and belly while the prey is still alive.