Stream now with KPBS Passport on KPBS + / Watch Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / Encore Sunday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV and 8 p.m. on KPBS 2. In Antarctica, killer whales hunt using their intelligence and teamwork. Swimming together to create powerful waves, they can wash seals off pieces of floating ice.
Pack-ice killer whales have a large, white eye patch. Most of the dark parts of its body are medium grey instead of black, although it has a dark grey patch called a"dorsal cape" stretching back from its forehead to just behind its dorsal fin.
/ Watch Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / Encore Sunday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV and 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 In a remote corner of Antarctica, a group of killer whales capture their prey in the most extraordinary fashion. Swimming together, they create waves so powerful and accurate, they can wash a seal right off a piece of floating ice – some of the most sophisticated behavior in the animal kingdom. A team of scientists and filmmakers try to advance our understanding of these compelling animals inThe hunting technique of pack-ice killer whales has intrigued scientists for decades, and there is still so much unknown about the species. Each scientist on the expedition hopes to discover new truths about these whales., the mission becomes personal when he searches for his favorite killer whale, a powerful female that holds her family together through decades of experience and supreme intelligence.Weddell seals are the favored prey of pack-ice killer whales, as they are the least aggressive species of seal. Having wave-washed a Weddell seal, a pack-ice killer whale turns away to prepare another wave to wash the seal off the ice floe., has an unusual way of studying marine mammals – she collects their poop, from which she can discern information about their health and environment. Her dream is to collect the poop of a pack-ice killer whale, something never done before.The most abundant seal in Antarctica is the crabeater seal, a group of them seen here on a piece of pack ice. A bite from their sharp teeth could inflict a nasty wound to a pack ice killer whale and cause infection. The film team deploys drones to get an aerial perspective of the whales as well as gyrostabilized lenses mounted on small boats – all adding new insights into how these extraordinary animals hunt and how they live as families. The team documents something not seen before – an hours-long teaching session, where adult females demonstrate hunting skills to their young.In another first, the team records the calls of the killer whales as they search for prey, coordinate their wave-making, and share their meal., a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast.designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier. You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX .With eyes positioned either side of their large head, a pack-ice killer whale’s field of view is 300 degrees, which means they can take a good look at their potential prey before attempting to wave-wash it off the ice.is executive producer. Bill Murphy is series producer. Janet Hess is series editor. NATURE is a production of The WNET Group.Pack-ice killer whales are known to hunt different species of seal in Antarctica - leopard seals, Weddell seals and crabeater seals, pictured here.Jen is a web producer at KPBS, responsible for program promotion, membership-related activities, and is the editor of the KPBS community calendar. Jen has worked at KPBS since 2000. She is originally from Las Vegas and attended UNLV.After second Minneapolis killing, San Diego elected officials say ‘Rubicon crossed’ and ICE is ‘executing American citizens’KPBS keeps you informed with local stories you need to know about — with no paywall. Our news is free for everyone because people like you help fund it.Politics
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