Images reveal how an orca pod hunts the worlds largest fish | News [Video]

(CNN) — An orca pod in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico has devised a cunning strategy to hunt and kill whale sharks — the world’s largest fish that can grow up to 18 meters (60 feet) in length — new research has revealed.

While anecdotal evidence had previously suggested that orcas can take down whale sharks, marine scientists have now documented the behavior in detail for the first time, analyzing four separate hunting events caught on camera.

The orcas hunt whale sharks that gather at feeding sites in the Gulf of California and are not fully grown. The young sharks are typically 3 to 7 meters (10 to 23 feet) in length, making them more vulnerable to predators. While an orca versus whale shark matchup may seem like an epic battle, the orcas make easy work of the gentle giants.

“The whale shark has the smallest brain compared to …