Orcas' Unusual Playtime: What's Behind the Sunfish Smashing? Orcas in the Gulf of California have been observed teaming up to smash dead sunfish to pieces.
Footage captured between 2021 and 2025 shows the orcas using a coordinated attack to break apart their prey, resulting in an explosion of fish bits that are then devoured by young orcas present.
One possible explanation for this behavior is that it allows younger orcas to feed more easily. Orcas are known to play with their food, and this smashing technique may be an extension of that playful nature.