Drone films exquisite horror of an orca pod hunt for the first time

Watch this bloody hunt and you'll understand why orcas are also known as killer whales.

The footage of a pod of killer whales ganging up on —then tearing apart — a luckless seal was captured by a drone operated by the Norwegian Orca Survey off the coast of Norway.

The organisation believes it's the first time a drone has recorded this kind of hunt. And while it sucks bigtime for the seal, killer whales gotta eat somehow.

The Norwegian Orca Survey shared the footage to Facebook, where more than 200,000 viewers have been reminded how violent nature can be.

Despite what Free Willy tricked a generation of children into believing, orcas aren't cuddly ocean pandas.

They're ruthless hunters that can weigh more than 9000kg, shoot through the water at up to 48km/h, and tear into prey with three-inch-long teeth — and they also wield powerful brains that make them even more menacing.

Fun fact: killer whales aren't actually whales. Technically, they're dolphins. Killer dolphins.