Mel, the Killer Whale or Orca (Orcinus orca) narrowly misses out on a South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens) that it was hunting, in Patagonia. Of the 18 only 7 have mastered the stranding behaviour whereby the Orca enters the shallow surf to feed on Sea Lion pups. Distinctive by his 2 metre dorsal fin, Mel is an expert hunter who feeds on Sea Lion pups before taking them back to his pod. This lucky Sea Lion however managed to escape the hunter's attentions.

2 americas america animal anatomy animal behaviour animal group animalia animals animal away from it all above water animal behaviours animal theme animal themes blackfish behaviour behaviours calder¢n gris cetacean cetaceans color image color images color colour colour images colour image cetacea dolphin danger days day delphinus dephis dolphins dorsal dorsals eared seal eared seals epaulard escape escaping escapism expertly experts expert expertise escaped escapes free feeding feed fins fin flee fleeing flees front front view frontal getting away from it all grampo habitat habitats head on horizontal horizontals hunt hunting in the wild killer whale killer whales landscape latin america latin american latino mammalia mammals mammal marine animals marine animal marine life marine life marine maritime maritime climate natural phenomena natural phenomenon natural worlds natural world nature natural environment natural environments natural habitat natural habitats naturally no one no people no person no body no one nobody orca orcas orcinus orca orque otariidae oceanic ocean oceanic climate otariids outdoors outside over water place of interest pair patagonian patagonia pinniped pinnipedia pinnipeds pup pups schwertwal sea lion seal seals site of interest sites of interest skill skilled skills south america splash splashed splashes splashing sea sea animals sea animal sea creatures sea creature sea life sealife sealion sealions seas and oceans seas shallow south american surface surf surge threat threaten threatened threatens threats to hunt two animals two wild animal wild animals wild life wild life water wave waves wild wildlife s083 s083 te s083 prm