Don’t you know it’s rude to play with your food? Photographer captures astonishing moment hungry killer whale tosses a seal through the air to stun it before it’s eaten
This is the astonishing moment a hungry killer whale toyed with a seal and sent it flying into the air, before snapping it up for its lunch.
The massive mammal was pictured bursting out of the water with its catch in Monterey Bay, California, by photographer and whale enthusiast, Jodi Frediani.
The 67-year-old had been on a whale watching tour with other sightseers when she spotted the whale thrashing beneath the water.
Making a splash: This is the astonishing moment a hungry killer whale toyed with a seal and sent it flying into the air, before snapping it up for its lunch
However, she never expected the killer creature to dramatically leap into the air with its kill.
Describing the incredible event, Jodi from Santa Cruz, California, said: ‘After watching a humpback whale breach for an hour, we headed off to look for killer whales.
‘We were lucky and found them in three scattered groups over the Monterey Submarine Canyon.
Seal-ing the deal: The massive mammal was pictured bursting out of the water with its catch in Monterey Bay, California, by photographer and whale enthusiast, Jodi Frediani
Killer instinct: The 67-year-old had been on a whale watching tour with other sightseers when she spotted the whale thrashing beneath the water
Airborne: Jodi from Santa Cruz, California, said the group had been watching a humpback whale breach for an hour before heading off in search of some killer whales
Fin dining: The whale watching group saw the male whale bring one of his powerful flippers out of the water as he rolled on his side tossing a seal in front of him
‘Before we knew it, the group we were watching started thrashing about below the surface.
‘Next we saw the male bring one of his powerful flippers out of the water as he rolled on his side tossing a seal in front of him.
‘Then this whale brought its whole tail out of the water with a female northern elephant cradled on its flukes.
Hungry: The whale brought its whole tail out of the water with a female northern elephant seal cradled on its flukes
Helpless: The killer whale repeatedly tossed the seal in the air before it finally grabbed the seal by its rear flippers and tossed her one last time
Seafood supper: Jodi explained that stunning a prey animal is done as part of a hunting lesson for the juveniles in the group, who are often allowed to make the final kill of the stunned animal
‘The poor seal was then tossed through the air.
‘This happened again, and finally the killer whale grabbed the seal by its rear flippers and tossed her one last time.
‘Stunning a prey animal like this is done as part of a hunting lesson for the juveniles in the group, who are often allowed to make the final kill of the stunned animal.
‘This is the second time I’ve been fortunate to witness this.’
Flipped out: The dramatic photos show the poor seal look stunned as it is pulled out of the water by the powerful whale
Lying in wait: The pair create quite a splash before the whale returns to the depths of the water
The dramatic photos show the poor seal look stunned as it is pulled out of the water by the powerful whale.
The pair create quite a splash as the whale repeatedly tosses its prey and returns to the depths of the water.
However, the seal continues to spiral helplessly through the air before it lands back in the sea – ready to be eaten by its hungry captor.
Final moments: The seal continues to spiral helplessly through the air before it lands back in the sea ready to be eaten by its hungry captor
Defenceless: The northern elephant seal is the second largest of the species at 13 feet and weighing around 2,000kg
The northern elephant seal is the second largest of the species at 13 feet and weighing around 2,000kg.
However, the aquatic mammal looked tiny in comparison to its whale predator. For, killer whales are expected to grow to up to 32 feet and weigh more than 5,000kg.
They mainly feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even other whales.
Natural predators: Killer whales mainly feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even other whales