Image source, Image source: Christian Stopforth/Drone Fanatics
Just one orca (seen on the right side of the photo.) can be “plucked” by sharks within two minutes.
The killer whale has hunted solo and killed great white sharks or orcas and a photo was recorded showing the decisive attack. “Amazing” for sea fishermen
Scientists say that the photos captured and captured are considered “unprecedented”, showing the excellent hunting skills of killer whales.
Before this incredible massacre occurred, a team of scientists discovered two killer whales off the coast of South Africa. Then she finds out that they are working together to hunt down and kill many sharks. Who in this number including white sharks the ultimate prey hunter of the sea.
“What happened? We were completely surprised,” said shark biologist Dr. Alison Towner.
Dr Towner, who is from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. From South Africa I have studied killer whales and white sharks for many years. She and her colleagues published a detailed account of the terrifying chase in the African Journal of Marine Science.
Video taken in 2023 shows the attack. 'Determination and speed' A male killer whale kills a great white shark and eats its liver in just two minutes
Image source, Image source: Christian Stopforth
In 2022, scientists captured an aerial photo of orcas hunting a white shark together.
In fact, scientists once used a drone to record two male orcas hunting a white shark. I came once. This is the first time in 2022.
Scientists have nicknamed killer whales “port” and “starboard” because their dorsal fins are curved in opposite directions. Come eat.”
Dr Towner pointed to the 2022 drone footage: “A school of great white sharks were circling a killer whale in close proximity. It is a desperate attempt to escape hunting.
In the latter, chasing and killing white sharks, a killer whale named “Starboard” goes hunting alone. It starts with cutting off the left pectoral fin of a 2.5-meter-long juvenile white shark and “pulling it forward several times.” Until the fins are torn off.”
It's a “really beautiful” observation of behaviour, said Dr Luke Rendell, a marine mammal scientist from the University of St Andrews.
“It's really interesting that this killer whale was able to do this on its own,” he told the BBC. He also explained that Al-Mayman hit the white shark on the side of its body and bit off its pectoral fin to avoid falling within the radius of the white shark's large and dangerous fangs. Show excellent hunting skills
“White sharks are an excellent food source, so it's not surprising that some killer whale populations live in shark habitats. So I learned to take advantage of that location. (to catch white sharks)”
Image source, Getty Images
Scientists say that endangered African penguins may be affected. If the hunter's ultimate balance is disturbed
But the assertive behavior of this killer whale raises the question: How will this affect the shark population in the area?
Meanwhile, scientists still don't know what drives this behavior. But Dr Towner told the BBC that evidence of this is: “Human activities such as climate change and commercial fishing are putting enormous pressure on our oceans.”
This may not be very beneficial for the health of killer whales. Because eating sharks means that killer whales have ingested toxins and minerals from shark meat.
“The changing balance of predators in the sea. The endangered African penguin may also face increased predation by South African seals,” Dr. Towner explains, because sharks are hunting seals less frequently for food.
Dr. Rendell points out that we have no way of knowing whether this behavior is new or not. Or noticed it for the first time “But what really stands out is how skilled these animals are at hunting.”
Dr. Towner added that every discovery related to the interaction between killer whales and sharks has been made. “It was amazing.”
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