I did not know that...

 

I was intrigued to read that moose are preyed upon by killer whales in northern climes.

In coastal areas in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, moose face terror on another level — possibly getting devoured by killer whales.

“The possibility for killer whales to kills moose is rare, but it does happen, and it’s been documented,” Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesman Riley Woodford told Cowboy State Daily.

Killer whales, or orcas, are extremely intelligent and at the top of the marine food chain.

They live and hunt in groups called pods, which are much like wolf packs. In areas with coastal moose populations, orca pods will take advantage of moose swimming in deep water across coves or between islands.

. . .

... recent research suggests that at least in some areas, orcas gobble moose more often than previously thought, Forbes Magazine reported this year.

Moose apparently crave the sodium in aquatic vegetation, and they’re willing to swim to get to it, according to researchers.

It’s when moose are crossing big water, like Alaska’s coves, that they might be at risk of being hunted down by killer whales, Woodford said.

There's more at the link.

I mentioned to my wife - who lived for years in Alaska, as regular readers will know - that I was surprised to hear that.  I'd never have thought of moose as prey for sharks or orcas.  She told me that moose can actually walk for short distances underwater, across the bottom of ponds, streams, rivers and inlets - they don't just move through water by swimming.  Apparently some divers have been known to come across moose casually walking past them underwater, to their considerable surprise!  She says that when moose move through shallow coastal waters (for example, from the coast to an island, or island to island), it's relatively easy for killer whales to get to them.  It doesn't happen regularly, but often enough that it's a known thing.  You can read more about it here.

That must be a heck of a sight . . . half to three-quarters of a ton of moose against several tons of killer whale.  I imagine that while swimming, the whale has most of the advantages;  but if the moose is in shallower water and can stand on the bottom, dig in its feet and kick, it might inflict some pretty nasty injuries on a whale, too.  If a full-grown moose can injure a brown bear severely enough to cripple it, it might do something similar to an orca.

Peter