Remember all those stories about how Orcas were ramming and sinking boats? And how some people speculated that it was “payback time" for humans?

While that speculation made for sensational headlines, scientists think that the Orcas may actually be using the boat rudder as training to practice for hunting Atlantic bluefin tuna, their favorite food.

Scientists overlaid data that showed boat attacks by the whales and the migration patterns of the tuna. They soon discovered the seasonal shifts in the orcas' preferred habitats often aligned with the tuna's migration.

From reports of the killer whales' behavior towards sailboats, researchers believe the orcas are performing similar actions as they would during a hunt: repeatedly ramming the fast-moving rudder before trying to bite it. In essence, the killer whales are practicing (or teaching the youngsters) how to attack the quick-moving tuna. Orcas have to work together to catch tuna, as the fish can weigh hundreds of pounds, swim in large schools and are among the fastest fish in the sea.

However, other scientists are not in agreement, basically stating that this behavior is just playtime and a fad that will likely fizzle out.