For 50 minutes, multiple pods of orcas worked together, hunting off the California coast.

Two orcas, the matriarchs among the group of about 30 whales, on April 2 circled a 20-foot-long minke whale, according to Colleen Talty, a research biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

The other killer whales, from 12 different pods, waited in anticipation, all within a half-mile.

“Eventually, once the minke whale got so tired, that’s when it actually ended up drowning,” Talty said.

For the next 5 1/2 hours, the creatures feasted.

“I was in tears a couple of times,” Talty said of observing the orcas feast on the minke whale.

“We saw tons of breeches and tail flops and spy hops,” Talty said, “so that was also really amazing.”

While it’s common to see orcas hunt other prey, like sea lions and dolphins, Talty said seeing the hunting of a minke whale is rare.

So rare, in fact, that Talty said this is only the sixth time researchers have seen orcas hunt a minke whale in Monterey Bay since 1991.

“It felt like a once in a lifetime experience,” Talty said.

After the company shared an aerial video of the hunt, Facebook users marveled at the sight, calling it “incredible.”

“What a day,” another user wrote.

In addition to the hunt itself being rare, Talty said the sheer number of orcas in the bay was also uncommon.

“Oftentimes, they’re in very small groups,” Talty said. “They stay within their family groups.”

Talty said it was only her third or fourth time seeing more than 20 orcas in an area in her eight years working for the company.

“It was an incredible experience,” she said.

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