Pigeon Hunting Catfish, the ‘Freshwater Killer Whales’

Some catfish in France’s Tarn river come on land to hunt pigeons. Those catfish and their unusual hunting behavior is the topic of a new study.

The European catfish are native to Eastern Europe. They were introduced by anglers to the Tarn river in Southwestern France in the 1980s. They have only recently developed the habit of pouncing on unsuspecting pigeons hanging out by the water.

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with The World’s science reporter Rhitu Chatterjee, who explains just how the catfish track their prey and hunt them down.

Watch these catfish in action in this video.