A pair of killer whales off the coast of South Africa are cutting open sharks and feeding on their livers. It is believed that the attacks
Photos of a female great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) were taken near Seal Island off False Bay, South Africa, in 2017 during an expedition.
A 3.5m long female shark was injured after an encounter with killer whales. Image credit: Alessandro De Maddalena
For scientists, the time when diverstook pictures. False Bay used to be home to white sharks, but that began to change in 2017. They were seen less frequently, and by 2019 the animals had completely abandoned their favorite seal hunting grounds. While their disappearance is likely due to a number of factors, scientists believe the main reason is the introduction of a pair of killer whales (Orcinus orca). They began to hunt sharks in the area and eat their livers.
At first they only hunted broadnose sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus), but soon the killer whales began to pay attention to C. carcharias.
That the researchers found a great white shark,who survived the attack nearly six years ago will help them establish a timeline and understand when killer whales perfected their hunting techniques. Photos of a scarred great white shark were published in the Marine Biological Journal.
Today outside South AfricaThere have only been two recorded cases of killer whales attacking great white sharks. This suggests that “great white sharks are not common prey for killer whales,” the scientists wrote.
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Cover: Drone footage of a pod of killer whales attacking a great white shark in South Africa. Image credit: Christian Stopforth