Dr. Alison Towner (Rhodes University, South Africa) has been a privileged witness for several years to the ruthless hunt that killer whales have launched against great white sharks off the African continent. In particular, she documented the actions of two particularly aggressive predators: Porta and Pravobok, who even push sharks to flee certain areas.
In a new study published March 1, 2024 in the journal African Journal of Marine Science, comments with the international team on the new great white attack. This time, however, a lone orca led the confrontation: starboard.
The attack happened in less than two minutes
On June 18, 2023, at exactly 15:02, a baby great white shark measuring 2.5 meters and weighing approximately 100 kilograms appeared on the surface of the water near the city of Mossel Bay. Terrible mistake… Observations by researchers and tourists aboard two ships showed that the starboard side was just behind.
The killer whale grabbed the shark’s left pectoral fin and shook it until it gutted it. The whole thing took less than two minutes.”a staggering amount of time“, notes Dr. Towner in a press release. Observers then noticed that Starboard was holding a piece of its prey’s liver in its jaws, an organ that is particularly rich in lipids in sharks.
First documentation of a lone attack
“This research shows that at least one killer whale, known for its predation on sharks, has the ability to independently hunt subadult white sharks.“, the study suggests. All other interactions of this species between killer whales and great white sharks involve between two and six killer whales. Thus, such a solo kill is the first.
In addition, the carcass of a second shark, larger (3.55 meters) and also gutted, washed up nearby the next day. This finding shows that in fact “at least two great whites may have been killed during the interaction“, the study points out. In addition, before the starfish attacked the young shark, observers noticed an oily patch on the surface and seagulls diving into the water, probably to get food. The carcass of the second shark must have been there, and the researchers again suspect a lone attack from the starboard side.
This study “raises fundamental questions about the impact of killer whale predation on shark populations in South Africa, worries Dr. Towner. The displacement of various shark species by the presence of killer whales may have consequences for the release of mesopredators and possible trophic changes in the marine ecosystem.“It’s still hard to imagine Port or Starboard singlehandedly attacking an older 2.5 ton white shark.