Secrets of the Whales Episode 101: Orca Dynasty
Orcas across the globe use unique strategies to stayon top of the food chain. Patagonia’s whales catch sea lions off the beach, New Zealand’s orcas root out hidden stingrays, and Norway’s sea giants master the tail slap. Witness five powerful orca matriarchs pass down their family hunting traditions to thenext generation, preserving their way of life before the customs are lost forever.
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Orcas in the Falkland Islands pursue powerful elephant seals - a feat they can't do alone. (National Geographic for Disney+/Kevin Krug)
1 of 16More than 25,000 orcas inhabit the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. (National Geographic for Disney+/Hayes Baxley)
2 of 16Antarctic sea ice. (National Geographic for Disney+/Hayes Baxley)
3 of 16Awkward on land and graceful in the water, Gentoo penguins are a favorite orca prey in the waters off Antarctica. (National Geographic for Disney+/Hayes Baxley)
4 of 16The Gerlache Strait along the Antarctic Peninsula is home to Type B Orcas, which bear a yellow-green hue from algae that clings to their skin. (National Geographic for Disney+/Hayes Baxley)
5 of 16Orcas in New Zealand follow a unique hunting technique: taking stingrays off the bottom - sometimes in very shallow water. (National Geographic for Disney+/Kina Scollay)
6 of 16Herring are a primary food source for Norway's orcas. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
7 of 16National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry travels to Norway's remote fjords for a chance to capture new orca behavior. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
8 of 16Orcas have learned to take advantage of Norway's fishing industry for easy prey. (National Geographic for Disney+/Alex Sletten)
9 of 16Orcas have learned to take advantage of Norway's fishing industry for easy prey. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
10 of 16A single fishing boat in Norway can pull in hundreds of tons of herring in a single day, inadvertently trapping prey for orcas. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
11 of 16Herring are a primary food source for Norway's orcas. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
12 of 16An adult orca pursue herring in the frigid waters off Norway's Atlantic coast. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
13 of 16An adult orca pursue herring in the frigid waters off Norway's Atlantic coast. (National Geographic for Disney+/Luis Lamar)
14 of 16Orcas off Patagonia will intentionally beach themselves to snag sea lions. This risky strategy is unique to these specific whales. (National Geographic for Disney+/Hayes Baxley)
15 of 16South American sea lions are agile swimmers, but one family of orcas has developed a strategy to take them from the beach. (National Geographic for Disney+/Hayes Baxley)
16 of 16All images ©Disney. Editorial use only.
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