Like polar bears killer whales (orcas) are also apex predators. They are called the wolves of the sea primarily because orcas hunt in packs. However killer whales do not eat polar bears. Sea turtles, fish, cephalopods, and sea birds form the essential components of killer whale’s diet.
Do Killer Whales Eat Polar Bears?
- Orcas are able to reach the maximum speed of 25 miles per hour which qualify them as one of the fastest marine mammals. At this speed they feed on medium-sized preys to as large as minke whales. Polar bears can never become the diet of orcas but certain unreported incidents in the past showed that orcas do kill polar bears.
- Still scientists do not recognize the fact of polar bears getting killed by orcas because both marine mammals seem to share many behavioral traits. Besides, none of them has any natural predator in the arctic.
- The polar bear cubs can fall prey to the killer whales (when their mother is not around) which made biologists to believe that orcas eat polar bears. Apart from that polar bears never become the regular part of the killer whale’s diet.
- Killer whales must eat polar bears at regular intervals (which they don’t!) just like they eat fish or turtles; only in this way white bears can become the orca’s diet. Merely one or two incidents doesn’t make either of them predator of the other. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that killer whales do not eat polar bears.
