A huge marlin bit the bait of a fisherman's line. However, he had only leftovers after the false killer whales mauled what was supposed to be his catch.
False Killer Whales Mauled a Marlin
A sportfishing guide in Fiji shared a clip on Instagram Monday. The footage shows false killer whales attacking a hooked 300-pound marlin, leaving only a meatless head on the hook for the anglers, For The Win (FTW) reported.
Jaga Crossingham, guide at Kokomo Private Island Fiji, said in the caption that he could hardly believe what he had just witnessed. The false killer whales took down his 140 kilograms (308 pounds) marlin.
One can be heard saying in the clip, "Wow, they ate everything." The following clip showed the mammals swimming behind the boat. The final video shows a false killer whale near the marlin's head.
Crosshingham told FTW Outdoors that the marlin was on the hook for about 15 minutes when he realized that false killer whales acted like a pack of sharks and attacked his catch. They usually prey on squid and fish and share prey with other pod members.
The sociable sea creatures have been documented to share prey with boaters and divers. Crossingham said it was a strange experience because he felt that the false killer whales seemingly offered the marlin to them by nosing the head back to the surface after devouring the marlin's whole body.
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Netizens React to What the False Killer Whales Did
Online users have mixed opinions after watching the clips of the false killer whales devouring the fisherman's catch. One said it was "so gnarly." Another said it was impressive because he didn't think false killer whales would eat or hunt a marlin.
A different commenter said he could relate because a false killer whale also once robbed his trophy bull mahi that was about 60 pounds. Another user said a similar incident happened to his stepfather and the latter's pal in the early 70s. They reportedly caught a big fish and were only left with the head in the hook, which they mounted in their restaurant Port O' Call in Boca Raton.
One wondered if the whales' behavior had something to do with overfishing. The decreasing food supply may have changed their behavior toward food and prompted them to be more aggressive.
A different commenter said false killer whales are intelligent, and they probably targeted the marlin because hooked fish is a lot easier to eat.
What Is a False Killer Whale?
False killer whales are social animals. They generally stay in deep offshore waters.
Their entire body is usually black or dark gray. However, lighter areas may occur ventrally between the flippers or on the sides of the head.
They are known to take fish and bait off fishing lines, which can lead to hooking or entanglement. It is concerning, especially since they only have a very small population size, according to NOAA Fisheries.
The main Hawaiian Islands listed false killer whales under the Endangered Species Act. They are the only false killer whale population protected under the ESA.
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