All articles tagged with #gulf of california
Researchers observed orcas in the Gulf of California repeatedly attacking juvenile great white sharks by flipping them upside down to induce tonic immobility, then extracting their livers, revealing a new and strategic predation behavior in this region.
A pod of orcas in the Gulf of California has developed a specialized hunting technique to prey on whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean. These orcas, including a male named Moctezuma, use coordinated attacks to immobilize the sharks and target their nutrient-rich livers. This behavior suggests a potential emerging ecotype with a focus on elasmobranchs, distinct from other orca groups. The findings highlight the orcas' adaptability and learning capabilities, contributing to the understanding of their complex hunting strategies.
Scientists have documented orcas in the Southern Gulf of California hunting whale sharks, marking the first confirmed instances of this behavior. Over six years, researchers observed orcas, particularly a male named Moctezuma, using collaborative techniques to target the pelvic area of whale sharks, causing them to bleed out and allowing access to their liver. This discovery highlights the orcas' adaptability and raises concerns about the potential impact on whale shark populations and the need for careful conservation efforts in the region.
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has issued its first-ever extinction alert for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, warning of its potential extinction due to gillnet entanglement. The vaquita population has dramatically decreased from about 570 to 10 in a decade, and their survival depends on stronger enforcement of the ban on gillnets in their habitat. The use of gillnets, which are illegal but still used to capture shrimp and totoaba fish, poses a significant threat to vaquitas. The IWC is urging immediate action to substitute gillnets with alternative fishing gears to save the vaquita from extinction.
Rare footage captured off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, shows an orca attacking and tearing open an adult whale shark, feasting on its liver. The video, taken by James Moskito of Ocean Safaris, shows the orca swimming upside down beneath the shark and biting its underside, with blood spewing from the wound. This is believed to be the first known video of orcas attacking an adult whale shark. Shark livers are highly nutritious, and orcas have been documented engaging in this liver-eating behavior for decades.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Gulf of California on Sunday, with no immediate reports of damage. The US Tsunami Warning system said there was no tsunami danger for the US West Coast, British Columbia, or Alaska. The Mexican civil defense office recommended boats and the nearby coastal population take precautions due to possible currents in ports. The earthquake was pegged at a magnitude of 6.3 by the US Geological Survey.
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake has been recorded in Mexico's Gulf of California, about 81 miles west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. The quake was felt in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, and Mazatlán Sinaloa. No reports of injuries or damage have been made yet.