Scientists have discovered that northern resident killer whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins are cooperating to hunt salmon off British Columbia — a partnership never documented before.
Using drones, underwater cameras and acoustic tags, researchers observed dolphins leading the chase, acting like scouts that locate fast-moving Chinook salmon. The orcas followed closely behind, caught the fish, and then tolerated the dolphins scavenging leftovers — a surprising lack of aggression for a species known to guard its prey.
Recordings revealed alternating echolocation clicks from both animals during deep dives, suggesting they may even be listening to each other to widen their ability to detect fish.
Researchers ruled out simpler explanations such as dolphins seeking protection or just stealing scraps. The consistent pattern of dolphins leading and whales following points to true cooperative hunting.
The team now hopes to learn whether whales hunting with dolphins gain a foraging advantage. The finding highlights how adaptable and socially complex orcas are — capable of forming hunting alliances across species when it benefits them.
