When it comes to the ocean’s apex predator, the great white shark most likely springs to mind.
But there might be a contender for top of the food chain.
For the first time, a killer whale has been seen individually killing and consuming a great white shark – and within just two minutes.
Orcas are generally known to work together to catch large prey like sea lions, seals, other whales and sharks, too.
By hunting as a team, they can surround prey and use their combined intelligence and strength to attack.
For the first time, a killer whale has been seen individually killing and consuming a great white shark – and within just two minutes
They can also hunt large animals, such as seals, individually.
But this is the first time an individual orca has been seen preying on what is one of the world’s largest predators – the great white – off the coast of Mossel Bay in South Africa.
Dr Alison Towner, from Rhodes University, led an international research team into the discovery by analysing footage captured by tourists on a nearby boat.
She said: ‘What we witnessed was an orca, nicknamed Starboard – due to his collapsed dorsal fin – performing alone to incapacitate and consume a white shark within an astounding two-minute timeframe.
‘Starboard was observed preying on a 2.5-meter (8.2 feet) juvenile white shark, later carrying the shark’s liver in its mouth past a boat.
‘Analysing the footage of Starboard surprised us. We were not aware that he was able to prey upon this shark species solitarily and in such a rapid time frame.
‘It just goes to show how proficient and skilled he is – a true super predator.’
During the observed interactions of this event, at least two white sharks were killed, as evidenced by the discovery of a second carcass measuring 3.55 meters (11.6 feet) nearby
During the observed interactions of this event, at least two white sharks were killed, as evidenced by the discovery of a second carcass measuring 3.55 meters (11.6 feet) nearby.
Esther Jacobs, from the marine conservation group Keep Fin Alive, witnessed the event firsthand.
She said: ‘I worked with white sharks for many years and to me, they are always a beautiful and powerful sight to see.
‘To witness one of these incredible sharks brought down so swiftly and efficiently by an orca, and being reduced to easy prey, was mind-blowing, but soul-crushing.
‘White sharks already face enough battles just trying to live in our overexploited oceans, never mind losing their place in the food chain.’
In 2022 Dr Towner’s team was behind the discovery that a pair of orca were working together to hunt and kill great white sharks off the coast of South Africa.
The researchers, whose findings were published in the African Journal of Marine Science, said understanding the dynamics of killer whale predation is important for marine conservation efforts.
