Incredible Orca Hunt | Frozen Planet II | BBC Earth

This orca pod uses incredible tactics to hunt seals protected by rafts of ice. Only around 100 orcas in the world use this remarkable technique.
Meet the animals inhabiting our fragile frozen worlds. ❄️ #FrozenPlanet2
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Frozen Planet II (2022)
This six-part series - narrated by Sir David Attenborough - explores the wildlife found in the world’s coldest regions: the Arctic and Antarctic, high mountains, frozen deserts, snowbound forests, and ice-cold oceans. From polar bears to penguins, and from snow monkeys to Siberian tigers, each species must overcome a unique set of challenges to endure its extreme environment.
Welcome to BBC EARTH! The world is an amazing place full of stories, beauty and natural wonder. Here you'll find 50 years worth of entertaining and thought-provoking natural history content. Dramatic, rare, and exclusive, nature doesn't get more exciting than this.
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[@airone7794]

The shot where the whale go out of the water and you can see her staring at the seal is incredible

[@garccoleman386]

The seals looks are hilarious… at first he is like stop bothering me I’m chilling then it’s like ok Red Alert I’m stuck down a one way street

[@peacebalancetruth]

@@garccoleman386 🤣 _down a one way street!_ I love it.

[@JerryHolguin]

1:04 A little help here?

[@timar4o]

That shot i needed to watch it at least 5 times. The look in their eyes tells us everything

[@tbone-ip5fi]

It's like one of those scenes straight out of Jurassic Park, when the T-Rex or Velociraptor (can't remember which) eyes down one of the humans through a window or door or whatever

[@brelzzz]

The seal looked at the camera man like “so you just gone let this happen?”

[@rocker76m88]

😂😂

[@pepelarrza3877]

1:35

[@J-Rod91]

I just imagine it looking at the camera like “Wile E. Coyote!” Like it wants to hold up a sign saying “I’M FUCKED!”

[@afsaijaz992]

They are not allowed to disturb the nature. They can't disturb the natural cycle of predation

[@scs2850]

That’s wtf I thought 😂😂😂

[@trevortillis5220]

I like how the seal looks at the camera like, "im screwed, right??"

[@rocker76m88]

😂

[@angel91485]

lit ooked too complacent, it had a thicker neighboring ice but seems not interested to really escape.

[@jinx_pachi4061]

🤣🤣 exactly like Dayumm why me.

[@jinx_pachi4061]

@@angel91485it couldn’t do nothing it was basically trap.

[@antonpoltl4130]

Tasists0knl😊😂🎉❤😮😅😢

[@jansandman6983]

The mother orca stopping the others on pouncing the seal immediately because they might get hurt on the sharp edges of the ice berg is insanely intelligent.

[@floseatyard8063]

she didn't stop them bc of that lmao seals have claws and could injure their eyes

[@jansandman6983]

still the same sharp edges or claws right?@@floseatyard8063

[@steadydropnem]

@@floseatyard8063not from getting injured by the seal but the original commenter is correct when that ice breaks it’s sharp like a blade and can do damage

[@simba3357]

sharp like a glass pieces

[@Just_A_Guy_Here.]

I'm your 100th liker here & b6e.

[@paulfaganpianist]

The rhythm of that scene where they crack the ice is at movie level epic. The choreographed swim under the ice followed by the shattering effect is just amazing.

[@surfrescue3232]

More creative than pathetic Hollywood could ever dream up . They ran out of ideas 15 years ago .

[@Charlieuae]

Totally agree, beautiful video ❤

[@bp8652]

@@surfrescue3232 This is Hollywood. "Reality" TV is always scripted. Look up Disney and the lemmings. BBC set a poor seal up to die, probably more than once to get the dozen different camera angles.

[@khard5717]

I replayed it like 5x , wow, and the stress in that seals eyes is Oscar worthy

[@zackstpierre2562]

I literally replayed it over and over it was so moving ...absolutely stunning the choreography

[@walkwithmeASMR]

I had no idea that orcas could do this. This is on another level. Actually incredible. The level of communication going on between them to deliver such perfect synchronisation is extraordinary.

[@RabidNemo]

Well being predators makes them a bit more clever in how they approach things but they're also more closely related to dolphins than whales so they're extremely intelligent. I'm lucky enough to live right near the water in Washington state where we see them semi-regularly. We have residents that live here year round but we also have transients that come and go. I photograph some just recently It's incredible how fast they are I'm talking speeds and excess of 30 knots or around 35 mi an hour.

[@ressurection2424]

​@@RabidNemo can a lion defeat a blue whale? I searched everywhere and found nothing. There's no video on KZbin specifically implying whether he cannot. As someone who lives close to coast What are your thoughts. ??

[@dannydeluca3212]

I’m My hulk K

[@reasonablekinda2269]

@@ressurection2424 hmmm no, not a chance unless it’s a young one or baby whale and that’s outside water, the sheer weight and size difference would be huge even on land where the lion has all the advantages, if its in water an entire lion pride wouldn’t be able to do anything to a blue whale.

[@humaur5469]

@@reasonablekinda2269 pls answer me what would happen if a diver hugged an orca ?? Also what if the diver's suit can make him/her stick on the orca

[@Wow7james]

Damn that eye contact that the whale did to the seal is unbelievable

[@atomickettle7320]

You are extremely gay bro

[@ElyonGibbor]

Those red eyes of Orca

[@NGCgalaxy]

The cinematography, the moment, the narration, the ocras' intelligence and the seal looks and emotions ... the perfection of this short video is on another level

[@juliocastro7398]

tudo aqui é tão perfeito!

[@rexx9496]

Can we just take a moment and give some props to the videographers filming this? They go to the ends of the earth and capture this stuff so professionally that we feel like we are right there. We have shots so close up we can see the pupils of the orcas and seals. Shots from the air, shots from under the water, shots at eye level, all seamlessly put together to the point that we don't even think about how rare it is for humans to even witness this let alone capture in a way that feels like we are standing there ourselves. Hats off.

[@Jackhatfieldfreediver]

you either get super lucky or spend months freezing your nuts off waiting

[@chadcrow7611]

i heard the set up the seal just to get this footage. poor guy

[@LurkerDood]

Dumb seal, should've located land somewhere to quickly swim to

[@LostJasmine26]

We can. Absolutely gorgeous images

[@jameskeener7251]

Nice. You have the clarity to take notice of the essential. Hats off to you, Rexx.

[@David-qp9bq]

No one does animal documentaries better than the BBC

[@lorybell1225]

Correction better than David Attenborough

[@savaneflo]

English and their big head... the whole world makes documentary, they must have listen to only 3 differents maximum and declare that BBC is the best while knowing nothing of the others

[@XPLORE32]

What about TerraX?

[@danielblyth2841]

@@XPLORE32 what

[@nadirfouad6693]

@@XPLORE32 no way

[@AmanKumar-un1he]

1:10 Coldest death stare ever

[@hollywoodhiggins1576]

So amazing

[@apeman2093]

Yeah. Like " I'm gonna get you "

[@AnnoyedHikingWaterfall-by8jg]

You actually get to see it up close on 1:15

[@carloschacal9334]

Coldest? Why? They are just hunting. They need to feed their bellies like we used to do.

[@AmanKumar-un1he]

@@carloschacal9334 Yeah I have no issues with that. Coldest here meant scariest.

[@vt_hikaru]

Its incredible how they learned to break the ice into smaller pieces and they push it to open sea. I had no idea they could do that! It's both impressive and terrifying

[@hollowasthe0ingod502]

The seal knew they wanted him for a meal, but he didn't have many options that far out.😢

[@Murderoreo1]

@@hollowasthe0ingod502Don’t be sad! They are the seal straight away, usually they play for a while before they kill the seal and don’t eat it

[@psell8628]

It's incredible how David Attenborough is still narrating these documentaries while in his late 90s. He's iconic

[@fruitbouquet5479]

Living Legend, period.

[@awaisakhtar8838]

*sir

[@julienguillaume5010]

What do you mean? Can u be more precise?

[@pawelwis7215]

Healthy life stile, no drugs and alcohol + good genetics.

[@als8323]

英国赵忠祥

[@ThanhTran-ye4yi]

That synchronized swim scene where they cracked the ice in pieces was epic. I can't help, but think how many hundreds of hours of waiting by the film makers to be able to catch that moment. How many drone launches where each launch only lasts 20 minutes? It gives me chill thinking about it. Respect for the film makers.

[@flightographist]

The key ingredients being time and patience, coupled with serious greenback backup. This footage was beyond stellar!

[@maxkade9133]

It happens every day daun

[@BersealiaDreamheart]

It’s called wave washing, commonly known as wave hunting. Using synchronized teamwork with the physics of water and waves to manipulate your environment and knock your quarry off its platform.

[@JotaP1n]

1:14 Damn, that staring is freaking scary.

[@FAKELIEN]

Me staring at the last Pringle in the can

[@JOULE885]

@@FAKELIEN 🤣🤣🤣

[@bigdaddydiesel4053]

The seal looks at the cameraman like thanks a lot

[@editmaster8884]

The seal was like "Thanks alot Rachel, Thanks alot''😂😂😂

[@shawshank178]

The way they cracked the big piece of ice was amazing!

[@SinAster_19]

To me it was fricking terrifying and awesome at the same time

[@ryanbalaguer3481]

It was fascinating

[@niks660097]

if i saw that shit even from far away, i would never step foot in the sea with orcas..

[@sultankebab1587]

@@niks660097 orcas dont kill humans, only in captivity.

[@DimitryK]

@@sultankebab1587 It is orcas who spread these rumours to believe. No one who was eaten tells a word. Mua-ha-ha 😈

[@LouisianaCoullion1990]

0:46 The way they all lined up to break that ice, was mind blowing

[@rocker76m88]

Just awesome to watch

[@yazamuto]

Extremely intelligent. Literally just massive dolphins.

[@seaneckhart9914]

Literally looks like something out of cartoon

[@jeffjohnson726]

It’s remarkable how intelligent these Orcas are.

[@Ms.Classic01]

The way that otter open its eye, when it first hear the noise was priceless.🤣🤣🤣

[@AniFam]

The orca whales’ strategies and intelligence are incredible…👍

[@dannysullivan6182]

Take that sea world loser’s lol

[@garyha2650]

Thank you for 'orca'. If we are going with "killer" regarding meals then perhaps we should change our own moniker to killer humans, as an Orca in the wild has never harmed a human to my knowledge but they have saved some of us a time or two

[@davidsouto79]

@@garyha2650 Here in Spain they have leaned how to break small boats´s rudders with their tails and theets and from time to time they have a laugh by stranding those into the sea. Biologist says that only a small family are able to do this but my hopes are into that knowledge goes worldwide.

[@micopardosi]

Okey, yes...

[@tmrevenge]

And scary. Big, powerful, brilliant beast!

[@justagirl391]

Simply incredible . It shows the high intelligence of this species and how they manage to coordinate in order to achieve their goal . I have never seen something like this before . Thank you BBC Earth for this content.

[@promontorium]

Species is singular and plural, mon ami.

[@bkjeong4302]

Do remember this isn’t a tactic they came up with on the fly: this is something they only know to do because their parents taught them.

[@natalyamartirosyan]

@@bkjeong4302 what’s your point?

[@mokarokas-1727]

@@bkjeong4302 - Did they say anything to the contrary?

[@bkjeong4302]

@@natalyamartirosyan That we shouldn’t be oohing and ahhing over this or other examples of orca hunting behaviours and go “look how smart they are to invent new hunting tactics as the situation changes”. Because they’re not inventing new tactics to adapt to new situations, but merely using behaviours that had been developed generations ago. Orcas are actually some of the least adaptable predators around at the individual and even population level, precisely BECAUSE of their dependence on cultural traditions and a limited array of hunting tactics per population.

[@EverEssence4790]

I’m always fascinated by the highly strategic tactics by Orcas after seeing countless videos but I was still deeply saddened by that seals fate 😢I know that’s the cycle of survival and every living thing whether big or small has a predator but I still find myself rooting for the prey to make it out unscathed. I recall a doc when they attacked a baby calf traveling w/ it’s mother whale, slamming it with great force from every angle and how helpless the mother was to protect it. It was horrible to watch and even more heart breaking because she had to continue her journey alone. This was especially sad because they only give birth once every 2-3years so I can only imagine the grief 😢 Experts have noted that they DO experience grief just as we do!

[@cindydorado4718]

😢😢😢😢😢

[@reedmartin8212]

My opinion of orcas changed after that grey whale episode. It was totally cruel and I’d say, fairly unsportsmanlike. Not mentioned by Mr. Attenborough in that episode, is that the orcas nip and bite their whale victims tongues (!) so they will bleed out. It’s pretty horrible.

[@michaelcoleman2180]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@cinny_]

@@reedmartin8212 It's the wild. Not like they are humans with rules of fair sportsmanship or whatnot. They do what they do. We can feel sad watching it because how can one not? But it's how it is.

[@mintlata]

@@cinny_ I would like to think that seal in his previous life was a criminal, and now he's just paying the price. Also if the orcas cannot eat seals/fishes, how can they survive? Such is the circle of life.

[@neurobook]

Highly intelligent, beautiful creatures that deserve much respect. Nobody stands a chance when you’re in their territory.

[@aland.3728]

That is one intelligent pod with an extraordinary matriarch!!!! I’m dumbfounded with their precision, coordination, and execution!

[@aaronbarlow4376]

So there is a species where the females are smart!

[@peteranserin3708]

I am dumbfounded by your impeccable grammar.

[@kellygervais3440]

They are spectacular.. 👍

[@aland.3728]

@@kellygervais3440 they certainly are!

[@aland.3728]

@ peter anserin. Thank you! 🙏

[@FrankandCents28]

I just noticed that after the ice was broken up by the orca pod the seal jumped to a bigger piece of ice. The video doesn't show it, but watch carefully. The seal clearly knew he needed a bigger boat. It shows intelligence at both levels of hunter vs prey. Pretty cool 😎

[@eatv7676]

Good vision

[@sbl9467]

Either you're correct or we've all been fooled. It could've been a different seal at a different time during a different hunt altogether. These documentaries often tell a particular story but will use other footages. I saw a documentary about a pride of lion but I also noticed that it had footages from other documentaries I've seen before. We as viewers cannot tell the difference between animals but can notice particular events the animals did

[@faelicious]

I think they are different seals. The dark patch on the left arm area of the seal dissapears and instead it's a wide darker stripe through the whole back. There is a possibility that it was filmed for a longer period and that the seal just dried up, but the lighter spots on the belly/sides seems to be placed differently too.

[@abovenbeyondlimits81]

Nice I kinda thought that but then forgot bc of the annoying greatbminds of those dang Killa whales 🐋!!

[@kevinallison2227]

Also notice the ice on the seals nostrils

[@Ms.Classic01]

Man its mind-blowing how the Orca were able to perfectly choreograph hitting the ice together. Very intelligent animals.😚😚😚

[@cherries1370]

My teacher had shown this today in class. Many of my classmates were upset, which I understand. The way these orcas hunt was absolutely fascinating to me. I just thought it was very cool.

[@Felix-tz6hn]

Being upset doesn't change nature, hope they get to understand that

[@kitkatgirl5673]

I get being upset I love seals so I’d be a little upset too, but sadly it’s nature and nothing can be done about it.

[@myheartandi999]

Show them videos about how seals hunt penguins. Then they will feel relief.

[@vilwolf9120]

1:15 that look at the seal is amazing.. wow

[@stanpines9011]

Very human looking eyes

[@jelanitarik7423]

For the seal that look was terrifying! 😱

[@robertmarosi2372]

"Dont even think of escape I got ya"

[@gregsteele806]

He's looking at the camera like "Well, aren't you going to help?"

[@JT-vh7yh]

“Gotcha”

[@cm94returns19]

This is every seals worse nightmare

[@davidclaudy4822]

Especially, when you’re on the shopping cart being pushed out to clear water. Poor seal knew his time was up and he was next on the dinner menu.

[@bruhbun]

Not just seals worst nightmare

[@batthink2338]

Prince Andrew Assaults his daughter “live” on the world stage kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp7XaZumZs2Un7c

[@judeobi242]

Not just seals everything in the ocean 💀

[@olorin4317]

It would be weird if the singer had this nightmare though.

[@sabarirajk3464]

1:15 that deathstare tho 💀

[@Ayanamiame]

Personally, I was chilled and awed by the bubble blowing. The seal is dead for sure but then the matriarch still doesn't want to risk her kids getting any bite injuries from the seal. very human-like in a scary way.

[@amandafranca2939]

They're so incredibly intelligent, but I can't help feel pity for the seal. Poor little thing 😢

[@mikimaus5420]

This is what we call food chain and you can only be happy if you're not at the bottom.

[@xeon4044]

Facts! At least Orcas don’t have their own version of “To Serve Man” 😂. [Regards to The Twilight Zone].

[@shanewoody4232]

​@@mikimaus5420 you can only be happy if you're on the top

[@TupacShakur69]

@@mikimaus5420yeah no shit. But you can still feel some sympathy for that cute little seal being devoured.

[@elwingy]

orcas cant go to mcdonalds mate... but at least they consume what they kill...

[@blacklion6674]

It’s incredibly how expressive the seal was, giving the side eye in 0:27 and basically laying there while being pushed to its fate at 1:35 making you truly feel what’s going through his head, but it’s nature, and we’re all apart of it

[@Dmdm_dm]

The desperation in its eyes....

[@mustafabulgu5834]

He knew his fate was sealed.🙂

[@rachaelireland9467]

Yes we are but at least as humans we are made in the image of God which simply means we are made like Him to have a relationship with him which of course animals do not have.

[@myplan8166]

@@rachaelireland9467 how you know?

[@justsain3236]

If only he was attached like sealant to the ice.

[@eldhoabraham1444]

Mad respect to the team of scientists who filmed this. Absolutely incredible !!

[@eddiemoreno6767]

The level of precision they have while working together it wouldn’t surprise me if their language was just as complex as ours

[@TrulyAlejo]

1:04 Bro said “ guess I’ll see y’all in another life” 💀

[@E-6969]

Indeed, most animals know when there most likely going to die.

[@minamo4012]

As a human, I think we should make friends with the sea Oreo

[@pandabear125]

Sea oreo wtf 😂

[@anthonylocke3366]

no chance humanity is more interested in making friends with space oreo

[@YP-by5oi]

@@pandabear125lol somehow I can see the connection between the orca and Oreo, they both have the same colors

[@eugeniocamporato8427]

What does oreo mean?

[@cskvision]

Oreo cookies get soggy in water

[@theorangerabbit8006]

0:28 That Dafudge? Look from the seal is hilarious.

[@stevestackpole4042]

Orcas are so very smart. I find it fascinating that these mammals can hunt in such cooperation. Also understand that the production of a wave can not only break apart ice but also wash their pray off an ice sheet.

[@yiyyie_]

The poor seal's face never cried so bad

[@ecstasyoxycontin]

What about the seal's face makes you feel bad?

[@yiyyie_]

@@ecstasyoxycontin u can see trough its eyes that it was so scared

[@ecstasyoxycontin]

@@yiyyie_ Well obviously it was horrified, but it's just the circle of life. And though I may sound 'heartless' by saying that, it's just the truth. It is what it is. R.I.P

[@roastbeefy0weefy]

​@@ecstasyoxycontin It's natural to understand that yet feel for the life lost

[@alekndov7300]

yeah poor seal, you can feel a lot her terrified look and then the "give up" stare

[@NightShadow720]

Sir David Attenborough's narration with his English accent gives these nature documentaries such charming feelings.

[@yepyep340]

Only English accent I can take with the death of the queen and all. I do not even like Dairy Queen or Burger King. I mean KING TACO is ok but damn killer whales and David Attenborough is way cool.

[@micopardosi]

Thanks for sir David!

[@SR567895]

Apparently he writes the scripts as well as just narrating.

[@youcanhandlethetruth4695]

F him, he Pushed the Dead shot.

[@benj6107]

The fact that he is still doing this at 96 years old is incredible in itself! We will truly miss him when he’s gone. An absolute national treasure and irreplaceable 🇬🇧

[@wardaabbasi3171]

0:49 is the most spectacular thing I've ever watched. I mean, something I was expecting, yet wasn't.

[@stanleymill4910]

I hope that they are not planning to smash Great Britain or Ireland that way. 😅

[@DanielGarcia-rj6gl]

Give that cameraman an award and a raise! Great job filming.

[@RusTsea196T]

Their understanding of different kinds of waves, their effects on ice sheets, and how to create them is astounding.

[@cherrypie9390]

@@Sunrise-fr9jb you are calling it "normal level of intelligence" but its nowhere near normal when you consider the intelligences of all animals,and its still amazing even among the mammals

[@TheLuppiterXO]

@@Sunrise-fr9jb because this isn't normal levels of intelligence for animals. this is normal levels of intelligence for human beings...that is the point you're missing.

[@mishkamishka779]

@@Sunrise-fr9jb you have watch animal documentaries little bit more to understand that.

[@Sunrise-fr9jb]

@@TheLuppiterXO that’s not true. Orcas are as intelligent as humans. They are on par with human intelligence and emotional intelligence of at least a 16 or 17 year old. Why do you think they aren’t? There is lots of studies proving this

[@user-rd6lb1ov6n]

​@Sunrise Only dolphins and some apes are close to humans in terms of intelligence. And in this case, most animals wouldn't even try going after the seal because they can't conceptualise making waves to break ice and push the seal off.

[@sjwzr]

Im completely blown away by how intelligent those creatures are

[@Mike--Oxmall]

Orcas are genius. In 2019 one of them was seen with a new hunting method. It would do a little bit of vomit onto the water's surface and then it would hide beneath the water. When a seagull saw this it would come to eat the vomit and at that moment the Orca would come up and eat the seagull. It did this over and over until it was full. Others saw him do this and began copying him.

[@shanerobertson4445]

1:04 Jim to the camera whenever Dwight does anything

[@tawbalee]

lol

[@erisonlira2657]

Orca's moveset Water pulse 0:46 Surf 1:41 Bubble beam 2:02

[@lovelution_]

lmaoooo

[@giovannidalpozzolo3363]

1:16 mean look

[@nosliwz2303]

1:23 Strength

[@kazikmajster5650]

*The orcas are ingenious, and the seal looks like it accepted its fate.*

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

It fought to the bitter end🦭 Did you miss the bit where they blew bubbles at it to avoid getting bitten?

[@Dmdm_dm]

@@KonradvonHotzendorf The orcas are so much bigger though, there's no way the seal could seriously harm them

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

@@Dmdm_dm It can take a chunk out of an orca snout. All wounds are prone to infection.

[@Dmdm_dm]

@@KonradvonHotzendorf the seal doesn't have such a powerful bite force to do that.

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

@@Dmdm_dm I can't find data on their biteforce but they do chomp on glitchy fish. The orcas clearly keep a distance when the seal is facing and snapping at them. When it turns around and tries to scramble onto the ice they grab it at the tail from where you can limit its mobility. The orcas seem to have some respect for the seals bite, something you don't see when orcas take pups

[@aLeXx1314]

What a well orca-strated attack!

[@rahman1314]

Their eyes… tells so much stories and shows so much wisdom

[@theopinionisthighqualityopinio]

What an incredible level of intelligence and group coordination. Great job of filming it, too!

[@eskanda3434]

Seriously as human I never would have thought to use those strategies

[@theopinionisthighqualityopinio]

@@eskanda3434 I agree! I wouldn't have thought of it either.

[@myplan8166]

@@eskanda3434 bc we don't have the abilities, physically?

[@aweishaupt5955]

Incredible and shocking! I have never seen anything like this before.

[@SomeUserInternet]

What is it shocking here? It is nature, not a cartoon. Animals are not your fluffy cute toys! They are cruel and they do kill. Crows do kill newborn lamb or calf by eating their eyes before they are strong enough to run away. A male lion would kill any lion babies from another male and leave their bodies for other animals to eat, so that he can mate with their mother. Not Lion King like :)

[@aweishaupt5955]

@@SomeUserInternet Hold on there TIGER, and do not make ASSumptions. Messages have no tone and can be easily taken out of context or misinterpreted without it. You assumed that what I said was negative, it was NOT! I am a biologist SO I do not need a lesson on the animal kingdoms and all they entail as I teach it as well as their evolution. It was fascinating and shocking as I live where there are several resident and transient pods of Orcas but we do not have ice in our waters so I have never witnessed nor seen their hunting skills where ice is involved. Perhaps ask clarifying questions before thrusting your rude reaction to your presumed interpretation of a sincere comment, thinking it is an opportunity to make yourself look smart or give some stranger a dose of reality. It costs nothing to be kind or ask thoughtful questions to clarify instead of acting like an arrogant know-it-all, of which obviously you are most certainly not. Really tired of over zealous you-tube/internet bullies!

[@franl155]

There's a couple of vids made by Antarctic tourists showing the orcas wave-hunting; not good quality, as it's a tourist camera and obviously the tourist is excited, but still worth watching. Amazingly, one of the sequences was a teaching session; the orcas let the seal get back on to its bit of ice time and time again so that the youngsters in the pod could practice the technique.

[@aweishaupt5955]

@@franl155 Amazing! Will have a look, Thank you for sharing 😀

[@franl155]

@@aweishaupt5955 - this just popped up in my Recommendations, no idea why, kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6jFf4WEeN2bfMk

[@manushajayalath547]

Unbelievable performance as a result of the “unity” of one another. There’s a something to learn by Orcas.

[@samuelmellen3899]

Everones talking ab the orcas, which is yeah incredible but I just wanna say how the seal looked directly at the camera and pretty much said “well I guess i’ll die” 😂😂😂

[@mounirammi]

The level of intelligence is mind blowing. Really, it's a genius creature.

[@Neuro_6]

And one rather stupid seal

[@mounirammi]

@@Neuro_6 as a human what would you do ? That’s the natural habitat of a seal. There is nowhere to go, hiding is its only path, but when uou encounter an orca with that level of hunting, your IQ doesnt matter 😁

[@sbekui]

@@Neuro_6 the hell he supposed to do

[@ambermckinnon3835]

@wowbased move more porpoisefully lol

[@dallaswood4117]

It is a pretty smart technique for an animal but mind blowing intelligence I don’t know about that. This is the animal equivalent of a human shaking a vending machine when their candy bar gets stuck, you wouldn’t see that and say “oh wow!!! He must be an engineer for nasa”

[@megansfo]

I actually witnessed this happening in person on a real life trip to Antarctica 16 years ago. We all watched it from the deck or our small cruise ship. It was incredible, and disturbing to me because I knew the seal didn't stand a chance.

[@Zaxares]

I saw a different video where a seal escaped from a pod of hunting orcas by desperately jumping up onto the filming humans' boat. The humans let it stay, but you could see the orcas surfacing a short distance away and just eyeing everybody on the boat as if weighing up the pros and cons of actually trying to capsize the boat. The orcas left in the end eventually, but it makes me wonder what would have happened if the orcas were hungry enough to try, or if they were smart enough to know that messing with humans would have brought down far bigger consequences than a meal was worth.

[@ooohnooo8029]

Thank you, I was wondering if it was Arctic or Antarctic. 💜😊

[@touremuhammad5983]

@@Zaxares I saw the same video , but it was a sea otter🦦

[@lpycb42]

@@Zaxares I saw that video and they were definitely planning a capsize

[@Uneke]

@@Zaxares fishermen should have cut it or smashed it in the face and let them eat their meal lol

[@michaelstewart7036]

The thing that amazes me the most about this clip is 1 the whales know they can break the ice with a subsurface wave 2 they understand they need to move the ice to clearer water and 3 knowing they can knock a seal off the ice using a wave

[@Athina_teamkhonvay]

I feel bad for the seal all it was doing was just trying to sleep but at the same time it’s nature. I am absolutely amazed at how these orcas are doing this.

[@Im_DJ]

1:15 ok that was actually scary , that orca staring into our soul , oh my. Spectacular view

[@lucpraslan]

Seal: this looks like a good place for a nap. Orca: No.

[@cosmicdarkman8821]

GREAT camera shots. I was able to even SEE that the Seal was sleeping at first. I also EVEN SAW the eyes of the Orca, which is VERY RARE in documentaries. GREAT CAMERA CREW❤

[@mitchlexcelsior1730]

The piece of ice where it stand just changed between 1:07 and 1:24 ... it's a setup for the narrative.

[@larazunk9824]

Great work. Orcas are so intelligent, interesting fascinating and so diverse and adaptable in their hunting methods. Just great to see. Thank you for sharing these stunning shots. 👍

[@punchyscyllarus565]

"orcas blowing bubbles to disorientate the seal" - disorientation is one thing, but bubbles effectively reduces the water's density, making it harder for the seal to swim/stay afloat. (like how underwater volcanos can sink ships) i believe the effect is more likely to tire the seal out, as normally they'd tail slap it in open water, but likely not in this case as the seal could run and then escape to another ice floe. blowing bubbles makes the seal struggle in place. either way fascinating, orcas employing physics...

[@kolis_]

Indeed! Makes sense. I take it you’ve had time to observe all this as a penguin?

[@c.galindo9639]

Cool. That’s an interesting fact

[@jessicaderosa9625]

I love how the seal was sleeping with one eye open

[@WIRAPRA99]

Hi, can I meet you?

[@TerrorBlade66]

Yes​@@WIRAPRA99

[@GreezMode]

I just got the maddest goosebumps seeing them crumble that ice patch in sync, only God!

[@jag6138]

My heart really broke seeing that seals face but I can't help but admire the sheer brilliance and intelligence of that pod. Absolutely amazing creatures of God's.

[@sumitchowdhury4914]

The seal was quickly killed for food. Humans club a seal and skin it alive, for selling the fur...I say the orcas are kinder.

[@jessiemarie636]

I felt badly when I saw the seal’s face. He knew he didn’t have much of a chance

[@taistelusammakko5088]

​@@sumitchowdhury4914orcas are known to keep their food alive for hours. They enjoy killing as much as we.

[@AtheisticAtheist]

​@@jessiemarie636It's fate was seal-ed.

[@elva136]

Everything was fine until you said God.

[@Johnsmith-bk3uk]

seal looking at the camera : “ seriously bro you gonna film this?”

[@pujabhujel8126]

2:10 felts sorry for seal 🦭🥺but it's nature

[@jamster126]

So intelligent. The co-ordination is insane.

[@comatrip1ify]

The sub-surface wave the Orcas generated to break that ice BLEW MY MIND. That was the craziest thing I've seen an animal do.

[@Djellowman]

Amazing hunters, my mind was completely blown when they coordinated the subsurface pressurewaves, and blowing the bubbles to disorient the seal was the cherry on top. Poor seal.

[@the_undead]

I've seen it circulated in several places that when the orca hunt your only chance is to simply be faster than they are

[@c.galindo9639]

Yeah. The seal was also staring at the camera very monotonous like: welp, it appears to be that this is the end for me, today

[@rumcayislandcaribbean8546]

I think BBC missed a piece of that bubble blowing tactic. It was more than disorientation....it was making the seal loose buoyancy and forcing it to move!

[@the_undead]

@@rumcayislandcaribbean8546 if you watch the video you may actually notice that the seal is not in the bubbles it is just trapped against the ice because of the bubbles

[@rumcayislandcaribbean8546]

@@the_undead Watch a little further. Orca end up going under the seal.

[@aerohard]

LOl, the way that seal opens it's eyes and looks toward the vocalising Orca. "Yeah, I'm #&$@ed."

[@reubenmugo8895]

BBC is simply the best 🙏

[@themanfromthesun]

a documentary isn't a documentary without sir David Attenborough 💥

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

Amen, right? Our condolences for the passing of HRH, Queen Elizabeth II. Prayers for King Charles III, as he takes the Throne. Here, in the USA, we are remembering the 21st anniversary of the attack on America... on 9.11.01 - New York and the Twin Towers, the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and Flight 93... and those two powerful words: Let's Roll.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

Sir... with a capital S... ⚘

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

Well...best be emotionally prepared for a serious downgrade! Guy's like 142 years old now or some'm. Granted, he's got the longevity of a f-ing bristlecone, but...I mean...he's *bound* to eat shit at some point. We all have to be ready for it. Imagine being the next guy? lol Bruuuuutal gig.

[@ahobaka4459]

I'm so sad for the seal, but that's circle of life - such an incredible orca whale's intelligence.

[@watchWorld100]

The best comment.

[@Dmdm_dm]

You could see the despair in its eyes...

[@evelynbeck3603]

Yes so i do feel too......incredible Orca Dolphins

[@kdrewluv2103]

Saw them hunting a Minkah whale on another episode. They tired him out after about 20 miles

[@greenderp]

if for whatever reason the entire world turned into the ocean, there would be many of us that are that seal XD

[@teeraww5934]

Dem dam orcas thuggin hard they ganged up like they run the whole sea fr I love it 🤣🤣

[@satyajitdas1631]

This level of communication and coordination is astonishing

[@wictorcampos4227]

Orca: 👀 Seal: 🤨

[@rifkyhardian3280]

1:35 i know circle of life but this shot always gets me , the acceptance

[@aajjaayyuk]

It's amazing as well as the scariest moment.

[@sidd_not_vicious2609]

just pure and savage as hell..mother nature plays zero games

[@paulrandig]

That drone shot of the whales side by side creating the sub surface wave that cracks the ice is breathtaking!

[@Blaze-ko3ts]

They’ve been doing this technique for a few years at least. I remember seeing it a while back. Never seen them pushing the ice out to clearer water or the bubble trick though. Amazing creatures

[@descai10]

thousands to millions of years*

[@Blac36045]

@@descai10 yeah no way this is something new. They are too smart and coordinated. They’ve been in situations like this thousands of times and figured out how to get prey. We’re just now getting it on camera

[@yammt3148]

Holy hell, those Orcas breaking that ice is incredible.

[@user-co4nw7xl7c]

wow this was freaking amazingly recorded thank u BBC

[@trafyknits9222]

What amazes me more than the ingenuity of the orcas is the photography that captured it. It's beyond belief how good these photographers are at their craft. Stunning.

[@David-qp9bq]

Best public service broadcaster in the world!

[@michimichi323]

It's incredible they're able to communicate so clearly about hunt plans, coordination as to when exactly to hit the sea ice, then when to start blowing bubbles. Their intelligence is simply unreal

[@footofthunder9763]

These animals are frighteningly intelligent.

[@Elijah1916_myhighway]

Along with their sheer size, it's the communication and strategy that these orcas employ to hunt that makes them such incredible animals.

[@robbiejames3986]

That was some of the smartest animal on animal hunting iver ever witnessed... and hats off to the network for getting some the most incredible footage I've ever seen as well.. had no idea Orcas had blue eyes until now..

[@Blueblurrie]

Wow they are such brilliant animals. Thanks for sharing this incredible footage

[@priceyboyj2011]

Just wow, all in sync with each other throughout, from breaking the ice and pushing the broken piece into the open then making a wave rush over the ice to knock the seal off into the water followed by the bubbles to confuse it then go in for the kill.....smartest creatures on the planet if you ask me, its amazing to watch them and how they do it but cant help feel bad for the seal.

[@avocadomonkey4892]

This is stunning and terrifying! The seal is so expressive -- so sad, like it knows the end is coming. But it also seems exhausted or drugged? And its eyes were so red. The scene where the matriarch pokes her face out of the water to actually see where the seal is, and you can see her eye looking out -- frightening! So much menace, intelligence and inevitability. And the amazing scene from the sky of the pod of orcas swimming in formation under the ice, and then cracking the ice apart! Wow!

[@toniiah]

Yeah, I wonder what's the backstory with the seal ... That's not how an animal just spotted by a predator reacts 😕

[@someone-ji2zb]

@@toniiah This is basically what all these dumb seals do lol If the creature believes "land" to be safe from predators in the sea, then they have nothing to fear as far as it can comprehend. It doesn't start to panic until it hits the water, as is basic instinct. Animals are instinctual, and in this case the animal's instinct is mostly correct, but not for these particular orcas (as stated in video, not many orcas do this) Also, even looking at animals being eaten alive on dry land, it isn't like we see any differing expressions on their faces. They are dying painfully, yet the things just slowly die almost as if neutral.

[@top_g2193]

It's pretty much sick and isolated itself from everything knowing it has no much time left. That's nature.

[@terramater]

Orcas are incredible hunters; they are so clever and strategic! Our crew took a closer look at them in the Arctic. It was extremely rare to find them there, but now they are taking over and changing the Arctic. Pretty intriguing.

[@c.galindo9639]

They really are the dominant species in the ocean

[@touremuhammad5983]

How are they “changing” the Arctic??

[@wowisowns]

@@touremuhammad5983 They burn the ice by lighting fires, trying to raise the sea levels around the world so they can eat your kids.

[@brawndothethirstmutilator9848]

Toure' Muhammad, when an apex predator moves into a new territory or becomes present in greater numbers in a territory it affects the entire food chain and the behavior of all the other species in the ecosystem.

[@c.galindo9639]

@@brawndothethirstmutilator9848 eek

[@alessandroborges3758]

They are literally the human from the ocean, insanely smart

[@bstriggles23]

2:15 the seal looks at the cameraman like "bro! Yall just go sit and film or do i need to say I NEED HELP?"

[@adgo22]

This is so impressive on so many levels..those animals are so strong..that last tail kick in unison at 1:42 is so powerful it's causes that "death" wave to wash off the seal into the point of no return..at 1st I thought the whale's would jump onto the ice block and use their weight to break it down into smaller pieces..that under water technique to achive their goal was absolutely mind blowing..can't wait to show this clip to my kids..

[@Gottenhimfella]

I seem to recall a recorded instance of orca tilting an ice floe with (explorers') ponies on it so that they would slide off. They certainly do this to penguins quite regularly...