Orca and dolphin collide in midair as shocked boaters watch off Baja, videos show
A group of boaters found themselves in a predicament off Baja, when their sightseeing excursion crossed paths with a frenzied pod of hunting orca.
Multiple videos shared on social media show the whales chasing dolphins around — and even under — the boats. In one case, an orca and dolphin collided about 15 feet in midair.
It happened Sunday in the southern Gulf of California and the “family” of orca was feasting on bottlenose dolphins, according to witness Afelandra Glez Cibrián, a dive instructor and staffer at Nautilus LifeLine Marine Rescue.
“They impressed me with their power, strategy and precision,” Cibrián wrote on Facebook.
“They are the queens of the sea, the top predator but also the most intelligent and curious, when you can interact with them it is because they want to, they decide if you can see them or not,” Cibrián continued. “What I experienced is so amazing that it still seems like a dream.”
Orca, also known as killer whales, are apex predators known to eat things “far bigger than themselves,” including other whales, according to the Natural History Museum.
Cibrián shared a brief 7-second video of the moment a dolphin jumped from the gulf and an orca came after it, bouncing the dolphin off its nose. The dolphin escaped being eaten when it ricocheted in the opposite direction.
Miguel Cuevas of Cabo Pulmo Divers shared video of the collision from a different angle, calling it “an amazing moment.” His video shows at least five small boats sat nearby as orca breached the surface in different directions.
In another video, a group of people in one boat is heard screaming as an orca appears to race after them. However, the aquatic creature was apparently chasing dolphins under the boat, and did not strike the vessel as they crossed paths.
Cuevas told the Mexico Daily News he counted “at least 10” female whales, some up to 16 feet long. The hunt took place in waters off Cabo Pulmo National Park, and lasted several hours.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Orca and dolphin collide in midair as shocked boaters watch off Baja, videos show."