Scientists Witness Killer Whale Infanticide Near Vancouver Island

Scientists have recorded what they say is the first reported case of infanticide among a killer whale population, near Vancouver Island in Canada.

This footage was captured by cetacean ecologist Jared Towers on December 2, 2016. It was the first time the scientists had witnessed an orca whale drown the young of its own species, CBC news reported.

The scientists published a research paper relating to their discovery in the science journal Nature on March 20, 2018. There, they suggested “infanticide is a sexually selected behavior in killer whales that could provide subsequent mating opportunities for the infanticidal male.” Credit: Jared Towers via Storyful