Does a blue whale have any predators?

Asked by: John Turner

Orcas take down a blue whale, proving they’re the apex predators of the ocean. While killer whales are known to attack blue whales, John Totterdell and his colleagues are the first to ever document a successful takedown.Feb 19, 2022

Can anything hunt blue whales?

The killer whale is one of the only predators of the blue whale. However, only certain populations of this species include whales in their diets, which, just like their hunting techniques, vary from one population to another. Like a pack of wolves, killer whales work in coordinated teams when pursuing their prey.

What is killing the blue whale?

Orcas won’t hesitate to attack fish, sea birds, and sea lions. Now, for the first time, a pod of orcas has been documented viciously attacking the largest creature on the planet: an adult blue whale.

How do blue whales defend themselves?

When being attacked, whales can thrash their tails around, both injuring and frightening their attacker. Traveling in groups (known as pods) is also another effective tactic. Due to their size, whales reduce the risk of predation by traveling together.

Do killer whales eat blue whales?

A pod of orcas has been observed hunting and eating the planet’s largest animal – the blue whale – off the coast of Australia. Biologists have published the first observations of orcas hunting and eating an adult blue whale, the largest animal ever to have existed.

Do sharks eat blue whales?

Do Sharks Eat Whales? The short answer to this is no. A great white shark simply cannot overpower a whale. Researchers are only aware of a handful of instances where sharks have been found feasting on a killer whale carcass, but unconfirmed of how they died.

Who can defeat blue whale?

orca whale

The only sea creature known to attack blue whales is the orca whale (scientific name: Orcinus orca) also known as the “killer whale”. They have been known to work in groups to attack blue whales.

Do orcas eat polar bears?

PREY: The orca is at the top of the marine food web. Their diet items include fish, squid, seals, sea lions, walruses, birds, sea turtles, otters, other whales and dolphins, polar bears and reptiles. They even have been seen killing and eating swimming moose.

Are whales afraid of orcas?

Difference one gets tired of such a thing imagine being bitten by several medium-sized dogs at the same time. And then they also try to drown. You yes orcas block the whale's breathing hole.

Who would win a megalodon or a killer whale?

Modern-day killer whales



Given their sophisticated behavior, it is possible that the Megalodon could become prey to the killer whale. However, on a one-on-one encounter, it is likely that the Megalodon would come out as the reigning champion.

Can Megalodon eat blue whale?

Megalodon was potentially capable of taking on Blue Whales, but it is doubtful they’d go for something so large and tedious to kill, especially something 40 feet longer and far heavier, sort of like a lion going after an elephant. Besides, there was probably far better, far smaller whales to eat.

What eats an orca?

Orcas are apex predators, which means they’re at the very top of the food chain and they have no predators. Killer whales are some of the largest and most powerful animals in the ocean, and no other predator is able to challenge them.

How big is Megalodon compared to a blue whale?

Well, scientists guess that even the biggest Megalodon only reached a mere 58 feet (18 meters) (though some argue it was up to 82 feet [25 meters]). By contrast, the largest blue whales clock in at a little more than 100 feet (30 meters) long, and on average are between 75-90 feet (23-27 meters) in length.

What is the biggest predator in the ocean?

Killer Whales

Killer Whales



But the true ruler of the sea is the killer whale. Killer whales are apex predators, which means they have no natural predators. They hunt in packs, much like wolves, which are also at the top of their food chain.

Is Godzilla bigger than a blue whale?

This is why, as the team concluded, blue whales must never have evolved beyond a maximum length of 82 feet and weight of 330,000 pounds, never mind Godzilla proportions. The outsize lizard’s latest iteration would be about 394 feet tall and weigh a staggering 164,000 tons.

Did megalodon have any predators?

Mature megalodons likely did not have any predators, but newly birthed and juvenile individuals may have been vulnerable to other large predatory sharks, such as great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran), whose ranges and nurseries are thought to have overlapped with those of megalodon from the end of the Miocene and …

What is the oldest predator on Earth?

Earth’s first big predatory monster was a giant underwater scorpion that reigned in the ocean almost half a billion years ago, well before the dinosaurs, scientists have discovered. The creature grew to 170 centimtres (5ft 7in) and had a dozen claw arms sprouting from its head, as well as a spiked tail.

Who would win megalodon or Kraken?

The megalodon would struggle, using its body weight to try and escape the Kraken. But the kraken is too strong, and its grip would be unshakeable as its suction cups cling onto the megalodon. The megalodon could bite into one of the kraken’s tentacles, tearing it apart.

Are shark afraid of dolphin?

Sharks do not fear dolphins. Dolphins will hunt in packs to kill larger prey such as seals or tuna fish, while sharks prefer to be solitary hunters who ambush their prey below before eating them alive.

What is a sharks worst enemy?

Large sharks sometimes eat smaller sharks, and killer whales also dine on sharks. But the shark’s greatest enemy is people. Humans kill sharks for food, use their skins for leather, make medicine from their liver oil, and use shark teeth for jewelry.

Can sharks smell your period?

A shark’s sense of smell is powerful – it allows them to find prey from hundreds of yards away. Menstrual blood in the water could be detected by a shark, just like any urine or other bodily fluids. However, there is no positive evidence that menstruation is a factor in shark attacks.

What do sharks hate?

As reported by Discovery Channel, the first significant discovery was that sharks hate the smell of rotting shark carcasses and quickly swim away from the scent.

Does screaming underwater scare sharks?

Stay with other swimmers. If a shark attack is imminent while you are in the water, splash and yell just enough to keep the shark at bay. Sometimes yelling underwater or slapping the water repeatedly will scare the shark away.

Do dolphins protect humans from sharks?

The ancient Greeks told stories of dolphins protecting sailors, and it even happened on an episode of Flipper. It isn’t surprising that people are fascinated by this idea. Unfortunately, there just isn’t any reliable evidence that it’s true.

What to do if a shark is circling you?

Stay calm. Keep calmly swimming to shore or to anything near you that you could rest on, without being in the water, and then call for help. Remember not to make any sudden movements. This will attract the shark, as it will be able to sense your movement.

What are sharks afraid of?

Contrary to popular belief, sharks are also quite afraid of humans! Being apex predators, it is natural that sharks will fear or stay away from the unknown, and that includes humans.

Where is the best place to stab a shark?

It is commonly believed that the best way to fend off a shark attack is to punch (or stab, if you can) a shark in its nose, which is especially sensitive. The best bet, however, is to go for the eyes and gills, as Lisewski did.