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SETake a moment of peace and float here with this orca in Norway!
Norwegian orcas have a really special way of hunting herring called carousel feeding. Our cofounders @paulnicklen and @mitty described it as an orca ballet—choreographed, cooperative, and mesmerizing to watch.
Here’s how it works: A pod locates a large school of herring using echolocation. Then, led by the matriarch, they swim in circles around it, herding the fish into a ball with clicks and whistles and bringing it near the surface. There, they blow bubbles, slap their tails, and flash their white bellies to disorient the herring and tighten the ball.
Once the fish are wrangled, the orcas take turns whipping their tails through the school, stunning or killing several at a time. While one orca feeds, the others keep the herring contained. With incredible precision, they eat only the best bites—spitting out the head and spine.
Video by @paulnicklen
#OceanSchool #Orca #Norway #Explore
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