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Killer Whales Teach Young To Hunt
Clip: Season 43 Episode 8 | 2m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
The team films something not seen before: a teaching session between adults and their young.
The team films something not seen before: an hours-long teaching session between adults and their young. Killer whales are one of only a handful of animals that actively teach their young, and it's the females that take on this duty, ensuring the survival of their families.
Major support for NATURE is provided by The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, The Fairweather Foundation, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Charles Rosenblum, Kathy Chiao and...
![Nature](https://image.pbs.org/contentchannels/sgZceVW-white-logo-41-ZMqyFVU.png?format=webp&resize=200x)
Killer Whales Teach Young To Hunt
Clip: Season 43 Episode 8 | 2m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
The team films something not seen before: an hours-long teaching session between adults and their young. Killer whales are one of only a handful of animals that actively teach their young, and it's the females that take on this duty, ensuring the survival of their families.
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Bring the beauty and wonders of wildlife and natural history into your home with classic NATURE episodes.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- This does not look like normal hunting behavior.
Now, Jenny uses her teeth to gently pull the seal into the water.
- The same way that we can hold something very, very carefully with our fingers.
They're able to do that with their teeth and jaws.
- She moves back and let's the calves have a go.
- You know, it's a visual learning experience.
So I'll show you and then I'll hang back, and then you repeat.
- Teaching behavior like this has never been filmed before.
- This could be over so quickly, and yet it's drawn out because of the learning that's happening.
I think one of them has it in its mouth.
- Using her snout, Jenny swims the seal away from the safety of the ice.
- Seeing how the calf comes next to mom when she's pushing the seal here.
- Then releases it again, letting the calves practice the maneuver.
- They repeatedly let prey go in order for the young to learn, and that's a real gamble for them because that prey could get away and then that's a meal lost.
- Killer whales are one of only a handful of animals that actively teach their young, and it's the females that take on this duty ensuring the survival of their families.
- Mothers and grandmothers and aunts take a lot of time teaching their offspring exactly how to do these complex behaviors.
Similar to us as humans, they have culture in their society and that they're passing on information to one another that is benefiting not only themselves, but other group members.
- Killer whale culture relies on this transfer of knowledge from generation to generation.
It's how pack-ice killer whales have developed the most sophisticated hunting strategy on the planet.
Pack-Ice Killer Whale Sounds -- on Film
Video has Closed Captions
This is the first time pack-ice killer whale vocalizations have been recorded. (2m 51s)
Preview of Expedition Killer Whale
Video has Closed Captions
A team of scientists and filmmakers explore the Antarctic waters to learn more about killer whales. (30s)
What Is Wave Washing: How Killer Whales Hunt Seals
Video has Closed Captions
Killer whales rarely risk hunting leopard seals - Antarctica's second-top predator. (4m 14s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipMajor support for NATURE is provided by The Arnhold Family in memory of Henry and Clarisse Arnhold, The Fairweather Foundation, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Charles Rosenblum, Kathy Chiao and...