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Researchers have shared stunning video capturing a solitary killer whale successfully preying on and consuming a great white shark in the waters of South Africa. This is the first recorded instance of such an event.
The scientists described the attack as an extraordinary demonstration of the predator’s hunting abilities. It all happened within a span of two minutes, starting with the orca targeting the shark’s pectoral fin and ending with the orca retrieving the liver, which is packed with nutrients.
On June 18, 2023, a killer whale known as Starboard, who was previously studied by scientists, attacked a young great white shark off the coast of Mossel Bay, South Africa.
Dr. Alison Towner from Rhodes University, who led an international research team, stated that the remarkable act of hunting near Mossel Bay, South Africa, showcases the impressive skills of the killer whale. This behavior has not been observed before and highlights the expertise of these animals.
Although it is not unusual for orcas to pursue large animals alone, there have been situations where killer whales have worked together to prey on great white sharks. However, the Mossel Bay incident marks the first instance of a solitary orca documented killing a great white shark.
This information reveals more about the aggressive actions of killer whales. It proposes that their method of attacking and stealing the livers of great white sharks may be causing a decrease in shark presence in specific areas near Cape Town’s coast.
The tourist boat recorded a video of Starboard single-handedly tracking and catching an 8.2ft juvenile great white shark at 2pm. The series of events was documented and analyzed in the African Journal of Marine Science.
Roughly one hour after arrival, Starboard emerged from the water’s surface. The researchers and tourists were able to see a male orca grab onto the left pectoral fin of a shark around 3pm. The orca repeatedly pushed the shark forward before ultimately attacking it, causing its insides to spill out. This all occurred within a span of two minutes, according to the report.
A short time after, it reappeared once more, this time holding in its mouth a red-hued chunk of liver resembling a peach color.
Port, the male counterpart of Starboard, remained approximately 329 feet away from the location of the assault and refrained from becoming entangled in the altercation.
“According to Dr Towne, orcas, also known as killer whales, typically collaborate during hunting activities, but have been observed hunting alone as well. The unique situation was observing Starboard, a specific killer whale, single-handedly hunting a white shark in a surprisingly short amount of time.”
Scientists have been monitoring the pair ever since they were captured on a drone video in 2022, collaborating to track and capture white sharks. By traveling long distances along the eastern coast of South Africa, even as far as Namibia, experts believe they started hunting great whites as early as 2015. It was not until 2022 that footage from above captured the orcas successfully taking down a great white shark, according to Towner.
Dr. Towner stated that this observation provided proof of individual hunting performed by at least one killer whale, which contradicts the known cooperative hunting behaviors in the area.
“These findings provide revolutionary understanding of the predatory actions of this particular species,” she stated. “The presence of these killer whales preying on sharks suggests there may be larger dynamics at play within the ecosystem. The swift advancements in this occurrence pose a difficulty for scientific research to stay current.”
One of the scientists who witnessed the attack, Dr Primo Micarelli, a co-author of the new study from the Shark Studies Centre and Siena University, said: “Seeing Starboard carry a white shark’s liver past our vessel is unforgettable.
Mr. Micarelli expressed his admiration for these predators, but also expressed growing worries about the balance of coastal marine ecology.
The livers of great white sharks are large organs, making up approximately one-third of their body weight, and containing high levels of fat. Orcas only eat a portion of the shark carcass, displaying a similar eating pattern to other meat-eating animals such as harbor seals, brown bears, and wolves.
Unable to reword. This is the source from independent.co.uk.
