- Orca kills great white shark
- Solo hunt, two minutes
- Shifts food chain dynamics
The apex predator of the ocean, the great white shark, is almost certainly the first creature that comes to mind. However, there may be a competitor for the apex of the food chain. Within the span of only two minutes, a killer whale was observed devouring and murdering a great white shark in its entirety for the first time.
Orcas are commonly observed collaborating to capture sizable prey, including seals, sea lions, other whales, and sharks. They can encircle prey and launch an assault using their combined intelligence and strength when hunting as a group. They can also engage in solitary pursuits of large animals, such as seals. However, this marks the first sighting of an individual great white preying on an orca off the coast of Mossel Bay, South Africa, home to one of the largest predators in the world.
An international research team, led by Dr. Alison Towner of Rhodes University, made the discovery through the analysis of footage obtained by vacationers aboard a nearby boat. She stated, “What we observed was an orca, dubbed Starboard because of his dorsal fin that had collapsed, acting solo to incapacitate and consume a white shark in an astounding two minutes.” “Starboard was observed preying on a juvenile white shark measuring 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) in length; it later passed a boat carrying the shark’s liver in its mouth.”
Orca Redefines Marine Food Chain
“The analysis of the Starboard footage surprised us. We were not previously aware that he could prey upon this shark species alone in such a short period. This further demonstrates his extraordinary prowess and skill; he is a true super predator.”
A minimum of two white sharks perished during the interactions documented in this event, as indicated by the identification of a second carcass located in close proximity and measuring 3.55 metres (11.6 feet) in length.
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Esther Jacobs, a representative of Keep Fin Alive, a marine conservation organisation, was present at the time. She stated, “I have spent many years working with white sharks, and they are always a magnificent and imposing sight to behold. Observing one of these magnificent sharks bested by an orca in such a swift and efficient manner, reducing it to mere prey, was both astounding and emotionally wrenching. White sharks face enough challenges simply surviving in our overexploited oceans; they shouldn’t have to worry about losing their position in the food chain.”
Off the coast of South Africa, in 2022, a pair of orcas were discovered hunting and killing great white sharks in collaboration with Dr. Towner’s team. The researchers, whose findings were published in the African Journal of Marine Science, stated that understanding the dynamics of killer whale predation is crucial for marine conservation efforts.
