A rare event was documented: a single killer whale, or orca, successfully hunted and killed a juvenile great white shark. This “astonishing” attack, filmed in 2023, showcased the orca’s exceptional predatory skills. It’s the first recorded instance of a solo orca hunting a great white, highlighting the animal’s adaptability and learning abilities.
Previously, scientists had observed orcas working together to target and consume the livers of great white sharks. This new observation raises questions about the impact of killer whale behavior on shark populations and potential consequences for the ecosystem. The scientists emphasize that further research is needed to understand the motivations behind this behavior and its broader ecological implications. The discovery also highlights the remarkable hunting skills and intelligence of killer whales.
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A solitary killer whale, or orca, has been filmed hunting and killing a great white shark in an “astonishing” attack.
The scientists then reported that the animals, nicknamed Port and Starboard because their dorsal fins are bent in opposite directions, “exhibited a predilection for extracting and consuming the sharks’ livers”.
During the attacks, the sharks would tightly circle the killer whales, in a desperate attempt to avoid predation," recalled Dr Towner.
Scientists described how the orca gripped the left pectoral fin of a 2.5m long juvenile shark and “thrust forward several times before eventually eviscerating it”.
“It’s interesting that it’s just one animal,” he told BBC News, and how much skill it demonstrates in tackling the shark - ramming it in the side and grabbing the pectoral fin to keep away from those big, nasty jaws.
The scientists do not know what is driving the behaviour, but Dr Towner told BBC News that it was becoming evident that “human activities, like climate change and industrial fishing, are exerting significant pressures on our oceans”.
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