This was the first time researchers found this pod successfully hunting dolphins, and it could help orca conservation efforts.

The Humboldt Current’s orcas have yet to be assigned to an ecotype, and their hunting behavior provides clues about where the mysterious population might belong, researchers say.

On multiple occasions, scientists and citizen scientists observed the sleek and efficient predators feasting on dusky dolphins ( Lagenorhynchus obscurus ). It's the first time orcas ( Orcinus orca) have been seen hunting this species of dolphin in the Humboldt Current – a surprise to marine scientist Ana Maria García Cegarra of the University of Antofagasta in Chile,

The orcas were previously documented skillfully leveraging local fishing boat movements to capture sea lions. Now, drone footage has shown the killer whales successfully hunting dusky dolphins and sharing the food within the pod.

A little-known population of orcas living off the coast of Chile has been seen hunting and eating dusky dolphins for the first time. The behavior may offer insights into the lives and diets of all orcas in the southern hemisphere,