Killer Whales Working Together to Hunt Seals on Ice | BBC Earth

Orcas knocking seals off waves was thought to be a myth when Producer/Director Kathryn Jeffs set out to film them in Antarctica for BBC series Frozen Planet. Hear the remarkable story behind capturing this unbelievable behaviour on camera. Subscribe: bit.ly/BBCEarthSub
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This Killer Whales attack behaviour dates back to Scott of the Antarctic’s diary and this was the first time Kathryn Jeffs and her crew saw an Orca Pod using this technique in unison to hunt seals in the Antarctic.
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[@rgh5069]

Woman: "It was very exciting and fascinating and...." Seal: 🖕

[@ewankirby2602]

@Majestic Satire Seal:"iT wAs VeRy ExCiTiNg AnD fAsCiNaTiNg" You hear that? That's what you sound like you living prick!

[@snoopwhitaker6698]

Enforcer chill 😂😂

[@gamingdemigodxiii5630]

A moment of silence for the seal that dedicated his/her life for the pursuit of science.

[@parasympathicus]

@@notsurewhattoputhereyet7052 I see you got the joke.

[@user-gg4dh7yj9l]

Amazing🤙🏻🌊🤙🏻

[@WatcherMovie008]

What I love about Orcas is that no one pod hunts the same. These type of unique hunting are only unique to that specific pod and it gets pass down to the next generation.

[@carmelobasco3369]

DAS CRAZY YO

[@jeneeboothe7690]

WatcherMovie008 did the whales tell you that?

[@platypus8697]

Jenee Boothe No, it’s common knowledge to anyone whose done more than 5 minutes of research on orcas. They’re one of the few species like humans that pass down traits generationally. Each specific and unique to the individual pods. Pretty remarkable creatures..

[@WhyDoThat]

many pods hunt the same.

[@savannahgomez404]

Jenee Boothe instead of being a smart ass you could’ve just researched animal culture seen in wild born orcas.

[@Farmboy1544]

Many seals were harmed in making this video.

[@OmarAllagFS]

as a seal, i feel offended

[@ongphong5933]

@@OmarAllagFS ffs seal, man up. You're part of the food chain buddy. You need to outsmart them or being orcas snack. I am team orcas but I'm rooting for your kind:)

[@xxy5757]

@@OmarAllagFS no

[@beegpappa7900]

@@OmarAllagFS you gotta be vigilant

[@HUGOTVCOM]

Leopard seals eat penguins 🐧

[@micycles1200]

Other animals: I'm just gonna sneak up on it or just pounce and hope I get lucky. Orcas: Ah yes, I must capture my prey using my knowledge of physics

[@CharlotteWeb100]

That's the most amazing thing - just breaching and hitting the floe would have displaced the seal and had it done with but they deliberately chose to wave wash him and teach the skill to the youngster still in training. I'm sure even after little thicc lad came off completely they let him find and climb up onto another floe and did it all over again. Nature is one cruel bitch.

[@codgamefreak602]

@@CharlotteWeb100 I noticed that too! I think you’re correct in assuming that the orcas were allowing the seal to hop back onto a piece of ice so that they could continue practicing. As someone who rarely learns about wild animals watching them work together in such a meticulous manner was nothing short of incredible.

[@CharlotteWeb100]

@codgamefreak602 Yeah since my last comment I've been reading up, researching and digging out all sorts of studies, research and papers one of which described in detail how this particular technique could be more a survival skill they teach their young and practise together in the case of a vast area of thick ice in deep freezes. They learn and teach the younger members how to generate waves big enough to weaken and breaks off ice into sections allowing them to surface for air. One younger orca was seen pushing large chunks of ice around as though deliberately keeping them freezing again easily. I imagined it like a giant jigsaw puzzle being sorted and all the pieces laid out when I read that. In one single period of observation I think the whole group displaced the same seal repeatedly for almost an hour washing him off, carefully helping it back on the floe unharmed and doing it all over again. Eventually it just didn't resurface so whether it drowned with exhaustion or was picked off underneath I don't know but these are one of the most superb creatures on the planet that's for sure. I share the same fascination from watching animals interact more commonly with my own dogs (border collies / sheepdogs) Seeing them work and the instinct they were born with just coming together almost effortlessly makes me realise why orca were labelled "wolves of the sea"

[@kendallbedford2523]

Meanwhile how many humans does it take to figure out how to make a wave lol

[@Dimmary]

Orcas have the biggest brain on earth. Not a joke lol

[@OpEditorial]

Imagine knowing that you're not even safe taking a nap on a chunk of sea ice because a pod of killer whales can use a technique seen in Japanese obstacle course game shows to knock you into the near freezing water to eat you

[@alexanderchichi]

those killer whales are hired by the penguins

[@gingipw]

Don't think so... the penguins are attacked by leopard seals, much bigger and nastier. Not to mention, penguins are orca's snacks

[@ansharyan710]

gingipw it’s a joke...

[@MrJeon91828]

What the Pushover...

[@yeeleng6449]

gingipw and the earth is flat

[@keef1954]

gingipw r/wooosh

[@rasalghul4501]

The intelligence of Orcas (killer whales) always amazes me.

[@rasalghul4501]

@Andrew Smith it's called using their scientific name. I can give a shit bout politics.

[@sonnymery4193]

Thank you@@rasalghul4501 (Human) for your valuable input

[@dova238]

Are dolphins smarter do

[@justdavid6380]

@@dova238 Aren't orcas part of the dolphin family

[@coolcat1684]

And the low intelligence level of commenters tends to amaze me....

[@ArsenalsJack1992]

I guess you could say they ORCAstrated that very well

[@penelope8557]

LOL!!!!!!

[@user-ig3vb4gx8g]

🤦‍♀️ haha

[@jinx8693]

No just no

[@polillafilms4085]

Actually that is kind of cool

[@meettheinmans7175]

I guess you can say ORCAget the fuck out

[@pkcryo]

Imagine waking up from a nice nap and seeing a huge wave coming at you

[@donallmccrudden4812]

And a giant row of teeth

[@ph_djoko]

Seal: why do I hear boss Music?

[@iqbalal6880]

Cause it means his gonna died

[@ChaoticEntities]

@@iqbalal6880 whoosh 🤣😂

[@sisditz126]

Antarctica is absolutely terrifying to me. The haze in the sky, the dark sea, icebergs. Just so amazing but so so scary

[@kamengamer5372]

Don't forget the possibility of ningens being there

[@proudexmuslim2354]

And the deadly orca,bears, elephant seals,sharks

[@mo-kq8ko]

@@proudexmuslim2354 no bears in Antarctica.

[@kendtchileninjah5905]

Yes indeed. Would be a super experience to see up close once in a lifetime

[@20PINKluvr]

@@proudexmuslim2354 orcas aren't deadly to humans. Good try

[@welldone2312]

3:45 when my mom sees me chillin for 1 second

[@imgay9]

Stop XD

[@dakota481]

Welldone Akbar phuck akbar

[@adnanjamil5209]

Welldone Akbar RIP XD

[@meshamaleta8174]

LMAO 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@annacon4599]

Facts

[@nedimayvaz6536]

2:39 Seal: Ah what a nice day! *Orca dives up and sees seal* Orca: Oh, hello there! Seal: Ah shit, here we go again!

[@jmmproductions6741]

You can't dive up. Diving is the opposite of going up.

[@qwerty842]

probably not "again" Most of these seals don't survive

[@nedimayvaz6536]

@@qwerty842 xD

[@nabeelahsan504]

More like - "I'm in danger"

[@johnjaeger2968]

It knew then that's fat was *sealed*

[@jonathanhunt7960]

Couldn’t even imagine how scary it would be being hunted

[@kmh4674]

*Insert video of guy who hired hitman on himself here*

[@johnnyappleseed4279]

Killer whales are such amazing predators

[@tarrondugger7961]

Yes they. R

[@phitran4416]

that seal just wanted to rest

[@richardmann8448]

youtube wont allow me to put my original name in Rest In Peace seal

[@landoftheascendingdragon]

They could attack us humans too.

[@kybravo3744]

@@landoftheascendingdragon Never happened in the wild

[@thecitizenjoan]

I feel sorry for the seals but a whales got to eat

[@technobrain1461]

Go give them your child.

[@ariellucas7755]

@@technobrain1461 Wow your stupid.. This is how nature works just like how these whales hunt these selas down is exactly how humans hunt these whales down as well..

[@NyQuilDonut]

@@technobrain1461 You're right. These Orcas should be tried for murder.

[@henrikselena]

ariel lucas dont call it nature when humans kill whales

[@adb8003]

Dolphin*

[@cheruzaleming]

2:47 when you thought you heard an intruder at 3am but sleep is life

[@jovyrivera7055]

The orcas are aware of the water and what it can do and how they can manipulate it, that is impressive to consider

[@mkhvisualaspect]

This is what I aim for in my career, being in amazing locations like that, but to actually film something on that scale something people have never seen before. What a privilege.

[@jvm-tv]

BBC has had a huge impact on people's understanding of wildlife. Yes there are other channels that make this type of documentaries but the quality and quantity of BBC projects are on another level.

[@thisisgoodnews8043]

Because they have lots and lots money to make nature shows, there is a law in the britains that they have to pay a tv tax to watch tv and if they don’t they will go to jail. They have an enforcement van that goes around to houses that didn’t pay and they listen outside with the same microphone the bbc uses to record ant sounds.

[@mangasaint]

It's like they're doing it on porpoise.

[@dyslexicfish3514]

I know right

[@priscilafm8090]

Yes I thought that too!! Like they were making that waves intentionally to make the seal fall so they could eat it. Orcas are such intelligent animals. 🐋

[@aytaf5430]

yes they are.

[@randomhuman1400]

they did

[@r4tzd0ll]

i don't think anyone understood the pun

[@courtneywielander3296]

This is like my nightmares. Can you imagine just lying there with enemies surrounding you 24/7? And there's nothing you can do??

[@alexs.9405]

The orcas are like: “Whale, whale whale, look what we got here”

[@lwqyt]

3:40 the seal is like: oh shit im dead

[@liamg2271]

Killer Whales are absolutely amazing. The fact some of them are in captivity at Sea World and other "aquatic parks" is a disgrace. We're talking about an apex predator, that lives 60-80 years in every ocean in the world, and spend their entire lives with their families. When scientists look at the Orca's brain they are astounded with its complexity and it proves their intelligence and emotional depth. Not only are they complete badasses of course, but there are ZERO known killer whale attacks on humans in the wild. Why you ask? Because they are keenly aware that our species has similar intellectual capacities. All Cetaceans on this earth should be revered, protected, and have no business being in captivity.

[@vijays6911]

there is not ZERO killer whale attacks you fucking idiot. People have died

[@mehdi5738]

indeed

[@mehdi5738]

nice

[@wishbone4795]

Great comment. Sea world are psychopaths for what they do to this intelligent animals. Shame on them and hopefully one day karma will catch them. I hate you #seaworld!!!

[@lauragalvez3596]

@Fitnessbro hey, please compare the number of humans killed by sharks or tiger seals in the ocean to the number of humans killed by orcas. You will be amazed if you do a little bit of research. Orcas are the Apex predator of the sea, and the most intelligent inhabitant. It says a lot that these killing machines don’t attack humans even when humans interfere when their sorts of food. Orcas are crazy intelligent. They can recognize intelligence in other beings too.

[@pusongmanhid]

I am making myself feel better from watching seals eat penguins

[@lopez.jacinto.6726]

Same...

[@frasergascoigne7442]

same

[@landoftheascendingdragon]

Orcas eat penguins.

[@mahshshsrklingfa7031]

But then you feel bad for the penguins..

[@Anna133199]

That's how I like to watch my nature videos, but the other way around. I'll watch a video of a seal getting hunted and then a video of a seal shredding a penguin to pieces. I then think: the bastard seal deserved to get eaten by orcas, I don't feel bad anymore. 😄 Great way to watch beautiful nature videos without feeling bad.

[@MrstealYoWifi]

Just seen a video were a pinguin gets killed by a seal and I can say this video is very satisfying

[@alceratops6853]

Orcas: "'Sup? Can a pod of killers come up in your crib?" Seal: "OH CRAP."

[@mojojojoslyfoxharris]

The Free Willy movies got me to love the Killer Whale/Orca growing up, but it's still my favorite animal to this day because as I learned more about them, the more I appreciated how they are similar to us as human beings as well how clever/intelligent they are! 1) They have their own groups who hunt for different prey depending on where they migrate too 2) How family oriented they are, their teamwork, and how they communicate with one another 3) How peaceful they are with humans while yet being an apex predator at the same time! 4) How clever they are with their hunting of certain animals (how they time the beach attacks on seals, tiring out bigger whales before drowning them, and how they use their tail fins to stun fish, and then this tremendous team effort to make a wave to get a seal off the ice!)

[@jmatt4life]

I wish I’d known earlier in life that there were careers like this!

[@nonyabiz9487]

The intelligence of those whales hunting together is amazing

[@MeGoHeHe]

I love when animals convey their intelligence to people. I'd love to also have an experience like that!

[@778dngyeeto_]

CHLOE VS NENE-CHI

[@Siddharth2460]

Fun fact: the waves we see on the beaches are actually created by killer whales.

[@Lazekillerwhale]

No shit

[@niklasvilhelm7247]

@@Lazekillerwhale what do you mean no shit? It was a joke

[@Lazekillerwhale]

@@niklasvilhelm7247 and the "no shit" isn't?

[@annacon4599]

I know im late to the party but best comment humor thank you for this tickle..

[@Mohico-San]

Guess Poesidon is taking a form of a Killer Whale and taught the others how to manipulate water.

[@mi11zzz74]

Sharks-I'm the best at killing seals! Killer Whales-Hold my beer

[@limminghan8178]

Couldve aaid hold my waves

[@kalindakelly2714]

Killer whales: hold my seal

[@morganistrue]

Hold my seal

[@morganistrue]

@Kwasi Afriyie Year 9 it's a meme

[@varric]

Funny, I read there's reports of great sharks evacuating the area everytime they realize a pod of orcas arrive there.

[@co1894]

Seal: *vibing* Orcas: We don’t do that here

[@im_aleey]

2:46 "I have eyes on the target"

[@jeffbrower8773]

@I_M Ali, yeah that's the cool part. Might as well be a laser dot on that seal.

[@HOSHl]

Lol imagine someone filming ur murder and then being like "you're not gonna believe what I saw." And they start showing it around

[@TheMoni700]

Seal was just chilling

[@DogsByTheSea-]

Woman: “This was a crazy unbelievable experience… Seal: HELPP MEEE!!!!

[@AlexRadic5]

Crazy how smart these guys are

[@GiloGrant]

Seal will be like help , cameraman wow the best shot ever .

[@jonnya9158]

The experience, the emotion,....beautiful on so many levels

[@ryand141]

Seal was singing kiss from a rose. The Orcas thought it was taunting them.

[@abrahamwr11]

Amazing hunting pattern, I wound if they have more tactics hiding that they could be hiding from us.

[@notpulverman9660]

"We'd all witnessed something that no one had ever seen before, ever." Uhh... wrong. Captain Scott and his crew saw it... and that's why you were looking for it.

[@corbeau-_-]

it's also bull since I've seen videos on orcas hunting (all over the world) way before 2011. Every group has unique hunting strategies.

[@buckleymordecai9605]

"Knocking off members of his team..." hmmm. Eating humans.

[@keepingitwild5994]

Not only that, but she also claimed her crew were the first ones to catch it on camera - which is absolute bull.

[@rocker76m88]

@@buckleymordecai9605 yeah I was scratching my head about that comment 🤔

[@FinnJohnson]

i think i would've cried if i was on that boat and witnessed that teamwork for the 1st time

[@zanedemir1369]

The seals look so innocent 🥺. Really had no idea what hit them until it hit them

[@bari2883]

I wonder how they ever discovered this in the beginning. It's problem solving that most of us wouldn't come up with.

[@thisisgoodnews8043]

I can come up with it like when I’m sitting on the couch when my phone is on the stand and I can’t reach it without getting up I can take off my pants and swing them at the phone to knock it on the floor and drag it over.

[@moonshadow6292]

​@@thisisgoodnews8043 😄

[@byzantineblue4818]

Remarkable species. Huge potential to grow and develop.

[@jacobthomas4187]

I heard they just released their first iPad - SeeAL

[@ozdepuzz609]

Orcas : "Oh, a buffet ship!. We could wave wash them like Antarctica's jobs"

[@tuyoiJD]

I'm a Japanese student. I like sea animals,so I watched this video to study English.

[@huewee1]

Hi from south korea

[@huewee1]

Im watching anime to study Japanese lol

[@stevenstrong4198]

Little less talk, more action

[@avabell9151]

Wow that unbelievable!

[@ezraalbarra4045]

I adore BBC videos! They are always soo stunning!!!

[@TennaciousF]

I dont know if this was the same documentary I watched as a kid but I've been obsessed with killer whales ever since

[@ojamablack1912]

Beautiful.

[@Tall-Cool-Drink]

Why do we need people talking? Video alone would've been enough.

[@mauriciolandos4712]

yeah this was so annoying, you couldn't appreciate the attack

[@spdutahraptor777]

It is supposed to be the producers and documentary makers' point of view

[@alessandrorighi3379]

This is an interwiew, not a video...

[@youwantmyname9208]

What does that mean? She is the producer and it clearly said, "Backstory"

[@obirato]

you are so right

[@G3ekbox]

Orcas before killing the seal: “The penguins send their regards!”

[@taku1129]

Orcas have better brains than some human beings

[@keepthefaith9805]

“creativity is intelligence having fun”

[@mybetterfilms]

Sealion said "Don't push me 'Cause I'm close to the edge I'm trying not to lose my head Ah-huh-huh-huh It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder How I keep from going under"

[@saiprasad942]

excellent coverage,antartica with wonderful whales and sails

[@JotaP1n]

The top hunters in seas.

[@MansteinPlan1940]

Oh no nene

[@occothefalsepanda]

Orcas are so cute :3

[@ripplewavess]

Lupin3rd Arsene They don’t like human meat

[@enfissione8297]

@Lupin3rd Arsene There is no recorded attack in wild.

[@Astral_Aviation]

Seals: I’ve got a bloody free Willy after me

[@oscargruber8582]

In the past: Seals on ice: Hah, not today man! Today: Orcas creating waves: Hah, not today man!

[@edm206]

That has to be the SEALIEST thing i have ever seen.

[@diogenesofseattle2344]

This is a learned behavior that demonstrates orcas have culture. This is leaps and bounds beyond any other pack hunting technique apart from hominids. It is our moral & ethical duty to protect this species' varying resident populations. (Transient orca groups are extremely adaptable & will almost certainly outlive us)

[@gamingdemigodxiii5630]

A moment of silence for the seal that dedicated his/her life for the pursuit of science...

[@mikehunt8866]

Very well orcastrated

[@Ganjaseed]

"We'd all witness something that no one had ever seen before" Lady, I know you're excited you filmed it, but lots of people have witnessed it before.

[@mahicuh430]

The killer whales think smarter than me lol They dive down and back around the ice platform to create a wave. Very impressive!

[@jacobthomas4187]

100% agreed. You'd be drowning at the side of that 'burg trying to take a vidto post on tik tok

[@goldeagleengineering4898]

The beauty of Team Work.

[@danielevans8910]

Could you imagine being a seal, and as soon as you see these guys roll up. You know you’re gonna die.

[@alvinmodz]

WHOA!!!.. these whales are so intelligent. Them creating those waves in that situation was very smart. Great use of physics, guys!

[@itsmereem6748]

Seal disliked the video

[@grievous5243]

Crazy how smart an animal can be

[@xidiamond6851]

Game over 😬😭 the way it just slowly pulled it into the water. And seeing the poor seals face knowing he bout to die

[@queeniehamlet]

Who else is here today because of TikTok & Twitter?

[@sirslaughter00]

Yes we all clicked on this video to watch some old lady talk the whole time

[@ouessa8706]

sirslaughter00 so true 😂

[@dynastyballer13]

yeah i was like wth, we don't need their boring story but watch some whale action!

[@Nobnoxious]

Imagine how different her narration would be if she was on the ice instead of the seal.

[@Demonslayer20111]

Did you not read the title

[@carolynmaynard5039]

Annoying for sure Just Turn volumn down or off

[@bertimusprime86]

Truly amazing.

[@bryant3760]

Props to the cameramen for swimming with the orcas

[@Durosteel]

2:41 when she sits in your lap

[@AlexSauce]

Lmfao

[@lori5455]

This has been documented before by tourists. Orcas are so intelligent to mastermind a hunt like this its much more than communal hunting of any other mammal. Groups stay together for life. Spy hopping out of water is setting up the strategy for the kill. Orca's push themselves onto beaches to grab seals, another behaviour all theirs!! Orca's have no history of attacking humans and people are free diving with them in Norway and New Zealand. They are curious like dolphins and because they are very prey specific pose no threat......dare ya!!!!

[@laststand3525]

They are actually dolophins and not whales. But many people get counfussed by theory nickname "Killer whale"

[@heavykraken2464]

Dolphins fight sharks but orcas can kill a whale shark and orcas is the biggest dolphin.

[@katie7513]

Last Stand they come from the same family lmao who caresss

[@liamg2271]

@@laststand3525 Dolphins are whales Last Stand.

[@laststand3525]

@@liamg2271 depends on the definition. They belong into the order of whales. Their they are a part of the dolphin family. So on the one hand you are right. But in the other hand i just wanted to say that "killer dolphin" would be more specific. Many people dont know they are dolphins and dont belive it because of this stupid name.

[@AMadd3RHatt3R]

Wow!! The wild of nature is amazing!!

[@SecularIranian]

I enjoyed this documentary on the life and challenges of BBC crew in their natural habitat. 👌

[@therealdutchvanderlinde3124]

2:47 seals bout to make me act up

[@Markrobinson-bb3ti]

It was the most amazing experience watching the seals getting eaten alive. You could see their suffering and extreme sadness right before dying. Truly a wonderful experience - Miss Lady

[@tonykrominga7430]

That's nature 🤷‍♂️

[@amberxv4777]

These stupid comments make me laugh. That's how nature work. Coming from people who are also carnivores, it's so hypocritical.

[@Markrobinson-bb3ti]

@@amberxv4777 Whoosh!

[@adibfarhan7956]

​@@Markrobinson-bb3tiblablablablablabla

[@Sevencoins7]

The orchestration was amazing

[@ermelinda2223]

Don’t you mean the ORCAstration?

[@MrGilRoland]

It’s almost like if they do that, they can eat. Amazing.

[@hakimhakim8110]

The power of the union

[@GOODNOIGHT]

Hakim Hakim Gotta negotiate those wages

[@BythepeopleForthepeople203]

E Pluribus Unum. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@AwesomeSeal]

I’m crying! Poor little seal 😭

[@calebfinch9935]

AwesomeSeal to be fair seals rape penguins so

[@AwesomeSeal]

Caleb Finch I’m sorry wait what????

[@cake9421]

@@calebfinch9935 yea

[@amberxv4777]

Shut up Xiao

[@toroyoko]

she was so excited to see that poor Seal get murked 😭😭 RIP dead homie

[@agangsaja1960]

your face dominating the video 😂😂😂

[@abdulrahmanmohammad9042]

A thousand would create. A tsunami

[@minimis3d842]

"I was hoping for attenborough, why are you here"

[@uazhar2013]

So amazing!

[@BlueOx2277]

I would LOVE to visit Antarctica- it’s at the very top of my bucket list👍🏻