"Zombie of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:22:36 -0500, Richard Casady
wrote:

On Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:23:18 -0400, Zombie of Woodstock
wrote:

With respect to orcas, I would think that it's done, but I don't know
of an instance where it's ever been documented. I do know that
dolphins, a orca cousin if you will, will hard bait into balls and
have at it. It dolphins do it, it makes sense that an orca would too.

I have seen in one episode of 'animal snuff', orcas eating a blue
whale, seals, salmon, and sardines. The latter were in a regular
school, not a dense ball.

I've seen that too. Sharks will routinely chase schooling fish up
against a beach and orcas will do the same to seals and penquins (I
think - seems to me I remember seeing something about that somewhere).

Orcas are larger than dolphins and a little less nimble and quick
because of it, so using a bait ball herding technique wouldn't seem to
be something they could easily do.

I don't know - it's a good question.


I recall watching a show about the balls that the bait fish form. According
to the show, the bait fish form up like that as a defensive measure. Makes
them look like a large, menacing creature, plus it reduces the chances of
any one particular fish being gobbled up.
The hunters are onto it though and let them form up, then go in for the
attack.

Eisboch