{"id":4265,"date":"2026-07-25T21:42:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T21:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationwideinterstatemovers.com\/?p=4265"},"modified":"2026-07-25T21:42:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T21:42:00","slug":"scientists-stunned-by-orcas-making-prey-explode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationwideinterstatemovers.com\/?p=4265","title":{"rendered":"Scientists Stunned by Orcas Making Prey Explode"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Scientists have documented a bizarre new behavior in killer whales that left researchers astonished: body-slamming giant prey so hard it explodes into thousands of pieces. The newly described \u201cram-to-fragment\u201d behavior was captured off Mexico in 2024 and detailed in the journal Frontiers in Ethology. After a pod killed a massive sharp-tail sunfish, an adult female held the carcass in place while an adult male slammed into it at high speed, instantly shattering it. \u201cIt was like an explosion,\u201d lead researcher Kathryn Ayres told ABC News, adding that she\u2019d never seen such behavior from an orca before. A juvenile orca was then seen feeding on the smaller fragments, leading scientists to believe the behavior may help younger whales eat more easily. But Ayres said it could also simply be play. \u201cOrcas are well-known for engaging in play with prey,\u201d she told CNN, adding that the whales had already eaten the fish\u2019s most nutritious organs, suggesting the dramatic impact \u201ccould have just been for fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A group of orcas was captured on camera engaging in what scientists call “ram-to-fragment” behavior.<\/p>\n

One whale holds a large sunfish and lets go just before another rams it at high speed, pulverizing the fish into thousands of pieces.<\/p>\n

In a new study, scientists say the behavior\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/uNABrcGMXe<\/p>\n

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\u2014 ABC News (@ABC) July 23, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Read it at CNN<\/span><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scientists have documented a bizarre new behavior in killer whales that left researchers astonished: body-slamming giant prey so hard it explodes into thousands of pieces. The newly described \u201cram-to-fragment\u201d behavior was captured off Mexico in 2024 and detailed in the journal Frontiers in Ethology. After a pod killed a massive sharp-tail sunfish, an adult female […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-news"],"yoast_head":"\nScientists Stunned by Orcas Making Prey Explode - Nationwide Inter State Movers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationwideinterstatemovers.com\/?p=4265\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Scientists Stunned by Orcas Making Prey Explode - Nationwide Inter State Movers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Scientists have documented a bizarre new behavior in killer whales that left researchers astonished: body-slamming giant prey so hard it explodes into thousands of pieces. The newly described \u201cram-to-fragment\u201d behavior was captured off Mexico in 2024 and detailed in the journal Frontiers in Ethology. 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