Pilot whales devour huge marlin in rare event caught on video
A sportfishing guide in Fiji shared footage Monday showing pilot whales attacking a hooked 300-pound marlin, leaving only the head for the anglers.
“Can hardly believe what we witnessed today!” Jaga Crossingham, owner of Freedive Fiji Charters, exclaimed via Instagram. “A fired up pack of pilot whales took down this 140kg+ Marlin, Swipe to see what happened!”
Viewers who swipe on the post will see a pilot whale releasing its grasp on the marlin’s head just off the stern. “Wow, they ate everything,” someone on the boat observes.
The next clip shows pilot whales swimming behind the boat as if hoping to continue the feast.
The final clip is a still shot of a pilot whale near the marlin’s head.
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Pilot whales are found around the world in tropical and temperate waters. They travel in large pods and prey largely on squid and octopus, but are known to also feed on medium-size fish.
Attacking a weary marlin on a hook appears to have been an opportunistic endeavor in which several members of the pod participated.