Lone killer whale eats great white shark in ‘astonishing’ attack
This is the moment a lone killer whale hunted and killed a great white shark in an ‘unprecedented’ attack.
It took just two minutes for the orca, called Starboard, to kill the 8.2 ft shark off the coast of Mossel Bay in South Africa in June.
The whale struck the shark’s pectoral fin, allowing it to eat its nutrient-rich liver.
It is the first time a whale has been recorded killing a great white shark on its own.
Dr Alison Towner, who led the research on the attack, said: ‘The astonishing predation represents unprecedented behavior underscoring the exceptional proficiency of the killer whale.’
Footage was captured by a tourist boat passing by the attack in the early afternoon.
Researchers and tourists witnessed Starboard grip the fin of the shark and ‘thrust forward with the shark several times before eventually eviscerating it’ it less than two minutes.
Starboard appeared a few moments after the attack with a ‘a bloody piece of peach-coloured liver in its mouth’.
Dr Primo Micarelli, who witnessed the attack, said: ‘Seeing Starboard carry a white shark’s liver past our vessel is unforgettable.
‘Despite my awe for these predators, I’m increasingly concerned about the coastal marine ecology balance.’
The incident offers new insights into the predatory behaviour of orcas, suggesting their hunting strategies are driving sharks away from the bay around Cape Town.
Dr Towne said: ‘Killer whales, or orcas, usually team up when they hunt, although they can hunt solitarily.
‘The unusual aspect was witnessing Starboard, the killer whale, hunting a white shark alone and in a remarkably rapid timeframe.’
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