Aerial Escape

From Daily Mail:

With the predator lurking close behind, the intended prey takes flight - quite literally.

This flying stingray was trying to avoid the attentions of the aptly-named killer whale, which was ready to take a bite out of the fish when the stingray made its leap for safety.

While stingrays seem most content to spend their days lying at the bottom of the sea-bed, occasionally sticking their stingers into unassuming human feet, this one proved they can be moved to flights of fancy when needed.

The encounter was captured in calm waters just off St. Heliers beach in Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday.

Five or six orcas gathered in the morning sun to feast on the stingrays resting near the shore, while another 30 orcas hung around at the back of the harbour.