First time: unique drone footage of killer whales killing great white shark | animals

Killer whales have been observed to prey on other shark species in the past and there were strong suspicions that killer whales killed white sharks, but direct observations of white shark hunting were still lacking. Until now. “This behavior has never been observed in detail, especially from the air,” said Alison Towner, a shark scientist at the Marine Dynamics Academy in Gansbaai, South Africa, and lead author of the study.

Shot in May, one of the clips shows five killer whales chasing and killing a great white shark. The researchers suspect that they also caught three other sharks during the hunt.

Only two killer whales in South Africa have been previously associated with white shark hunting. One of these whales, known locally as Starboard, is featured in the new images, along with four other orcas.

Previous studies have shown that new behaviors spread among killer whales over time through cultural transmission. If more orcas venture into white shark hunting, it will have major consequences for shark populations, the authors say.

The study also offers new insights into sharks’ attempts to escape orcas. Twice the killer whales approached the shark closely and slowly, while the shark itself also stayed close to the killer whale and kept him in view, rather than fleeing. That’s a common strategy seals and turtles use to avoid sharks. However, killer whales hunt in groups, so the shark’s circular strategy was probably ineffective.

“Orcas are very intelligent and social animals. Their group hunting methods make them incredibly efficient predators,” said Simon Elwen, a marine mammal specialist and co-author of the study.

After the passage of the orcas, sharks stayed away from the area for weeks. While several sharks were spotted in the weeks before the attack, only one great white shark surfaced in the region in the 45 days after the attack. According to Alison Kock, marine biologist at South Afican National Parks, that also has consequences for the ecosystem and shark-related tourism. After all, cage diving with white sharks is very popular in South Africa.

Review: Unique images show fight between orcas and whales