In a breathtaking new slice of marine life that has delighted researchers and ocean lovers alike, stunning video footage has captured orcas and dolphins hunting together for salmon – a sight so rarely filmed that experts are calling it one of the most exciting wildlife moments in years.
The footage shows a pod of orcas gliding through cold, glassy water, their iconic black dorsal fins slicing the surface like blades. Just metres away, a large group of dolphins moves with electric energy, darting, weaving and spiralling in synchronised bursts of silver and grey. Instead of competing, the two species appear to be working as one – a perfectly choreographed hunting team.
Marine biologists say this behaviour, though known anecdotally, has almost never been documented so clearly. And watching it play out feels like witnessing a marine orchestra in full flight.
The strategy is nothing short of extraordinary.
The orcas – strong, deliberate and commanding – take on the role of shepherds. They flank the salmon from the deep, pushing the school upward and inwards, tightening the circle. Their large bodies move slowly but purposefully, blocking escape routes with the ease of seasoned tacticians.
Meanwhile, the dolphins become the high-speed pursuit team. Their agility allows them to zip around the edges of the herd, driving fish back toward the waiting orcas whenever they try to bolt. Their tight turns and sudden bursts of speed create a shimmering underwater wall that keeps the salmon corralled.
Together, the two species form a moving barrier of intelligence and instinct.
The water churns with life – flashes of silver fish, the sleek arcs of dolphins breaking the surface, and the deep, booming exhalations of orcas as they rise and fall. At one moment in the footage, a large dolphin launches itself through the air, the sunlight catching droplets of water as its body twists mid-flight. Beneath it, an orca’s white eyepatch gleams as it dives, ready to cut off the salmon’s next escape route.
Once the fish are tightly grouped, the dolphins take the first quick picks, dashing in for rapid strikes. The orcas follow with slower, more powerful lunges, finishing the hunt with deliberate efficiency.
Researchers believe the cooperation benefits both sides: dolphins gain the advantage of the orcas’ strength and herding power, while orcas benefit from the dolphins’ speed and manoeuvrability. It’s a partnership built on mutual advantage – and, as the new footage proves, astonishing precision.
For viewers, the moment feels almost otherworldly. Two of the ocean’s most iconic species – often portrayed as rivals – reveal a more complex, intelligent, and collaborative side of life beneath the surface.
In a world that often feels divided, nature once again shows how extraordinary things can happen when forces unite.
“The strategic alliance we observed between the dolphins and killer whales is extraordinary,” said Professor Andrew Trites of the University of British Columbia in Canada, the senior author of a study published in the journal Scientific Reports.
“By working together, killer whales can conserve energy and use the dolphins as radar-equipped scouts to increase their chances of finding large Chinook salmon at deeper depths. In return, the dolphins gain predator protection and access to scraps from one of the ocean’s most prized fish. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Dr Sarah Fortune of Dalhousie University, who led the research, said: “We’ve long known that resident killer whales interact with Pacific white-sided dolphins, but seeing them dive and hunt in sync with dolphins completely changes our understanding of what those encounters mean.
“Our footage shows that killer whales and dolphins may actually be co-operating to find and share prey, something never before documented in this population.”