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Few animals in the sea are up to taking on the mighty orca. Like a pack of wolves, a pod of these black-and-white dolphins canResearchers on a tour boat off the southwestern tip of Australia have discovered a secret whale weapon these elusive creatures hide up their sleeves – or, rather, up their bowels – in use against an orca onslaught.
Sperm whales are known to use 'defensive defecation' to their advantage, but this may be one of the first times, if not the first, that a whale'sTucker and those on board the Naturaliste Charters tour boat had followed the orcas that frequent Bremer Bay, southeast of Perth, for a"solid three hours", while the pod clearly stalked something beneath the waves.
Then, something unexpected happened. A big, dark bubble of reddish fluid broke the surface of the ocean near the largest whale in the circle and covered an orca named Wonks, who"peeled away quickly". Next up for attack was an orca named Shredder. She, too, was met with the same fate as Wonks. The large sperm whale had once again emptied its bowels on its attacker.
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