Video: Orcas Attack Sea Lions Next to Small Boat

Orcas don't let anything get in the way between them and their next meal, and a wildlife photographer from California captured what happens when something does.  

Delaney Trowbridge shared video on Instagram of a recent incident off the coast of Ventura County, CA when the small boat she and others were on was caught in the middle of a feeding frenzy. In the clip, the passengers were surrounded by a few hungry orcas chasing after some sea lions in the water beneath them. 

While the experience might have scared anyone, Trowbridge was thrilled by what she saw. 

"One of the most exhilarating encounters I’ve ever had happened just the other day, when a desperate pair of sea lions tried using our boat to shelter themselves from a hungry pod of killer whales," she captioned the video. She went on to detail how the orcas were able to outsmart the sea lions despite their attempts to escape the killer whales' path. 

"One of the most amazing things about orcas is their unparalleled problem-solving skills that make them such effective predators," she said. "The whales made sure to capitalize on every opportunity the sea lions strayed too far from their cover, slowly whittling down their prey." 

"It was incredibly intense to be in the middle of this deadly game of cat and mouse; likely the closest I’ll ever feel to being 'hunted' by an orca myself," she admitted. "Like I’ve said before, I feel for the sea lions as much I do the whales. Neither choose what prey they eat and the situation is very much life or death for both parties. Nature is not cruel; it merely is what it is." 

Rather than put the animals' safety in jeopardy by speeding away, the passengers resolved to sit still and let the feeding frenzy play out. Ultimately, "the orcas were successful in their hunt," and the observers didn't unexpectedly become dinner.