The news reports of an experienced trainer killed at SeaWorld in Orlando last week by an orca whale are tragic and shocking. But surprising? The orca, named Tilikum, had killed before. In the wild, orcas – known as “killer whales” – are the ocean’s greatest predators. Highly social and highly deadly, they stand at the top of the aquatic food chain. Premiering Thursday, March 11 at 9 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT, Discovery Channel presents KILLER WHALES, a new one-hour special – produced before the tragic death at SeaWorld – that spans the globe to examine the astonishing predatory behaviour of this opportunistic feeder.
A wild pack of animals confidently and effortlessly stalks its prey, fearing no other living creature. Their senses are attuned. Their movements are deliberate. Stealthily, they surround an unsuspecting victim. Isolated, outnumbered and overwhelmed, the prey stands no chance. Instantly, razor-sharp teeth pierce through flesh and a 90-kilogram mammal is tossed easily through the air. It’s been another successful hunt for the ocean’s greatest predators. KILLER WHALES travels to Patagonia, Argentina, where the orcas launch themselves onto the beach to capture sea lion pups; visits South Africa where killer whales have just been discovered hunting their closest cousins, dolphins; and finally goes to New Zealand, where the orcas take on poisonous stingrays.
Ruling the Seas with Strength, Speed and Social Intelligence, New Research and Stunning Photography Reveals the World of the Orca in KILLER WHALES, March 11 on Discovery Channel
What's On?
What’s On? June 15 - 28:
SERIES PREMIERE
Countdown
Hell Motel
Inside
Ironheart
Long Bright River
Smoke
We Were Liars
The Veil
The Waterfront
SEASON PREMIERE
The Bear
The Buccaneers
The Chosen
The Gilded Age
SEASON FINALE
Adults
Leverage: Redemption
Scrublands
Sullivan's Crossing
The Walking Dead: Dead City