- The 60-year-old orca was seen crashing into a great white shark
- Orcas are normally pack animals that hunt in pods
- But climate change could change their behavior
This is the moment a killer whale took down a great white shark in a battle in the sea around South Africa.
The footage, captured by National Geographic as part of its ‘Queens’ series, shows a 60-year-old grandmotherly orca named Sophie crashing into a great white shark off the coast of South Africa.
“Orcas are very smart animals, they are very powerful, and in some cases probably even more powerful than a great white shark,” Chris Lowe, professor of marine biology, told ABC News.
But killer whales are usually pack animals and prefer to hunt and live in small groups of families known as pods.
“I think what we’re seeing is probably an anomaly. We often think of white sharks as the main predator in the ocean, when in reality they are killer whales,” the professor added.
The footage, captured by National Geographic as part of its ‘Queens’ series, shows a 60-year-old grandmotherly orca named Sophie crashing into a great white shark.
Orcas are normally pack animals
Despite their tendency to hunt and live in groups, killer whales’ behavior has changed noticeably in recent years. Many scientists believe that climate change is forcing marine mammals to change their behavior to adapt.
Earlier this month, another killer whale was seen killing and eating a great white shark in just two minutes.
The orca, a male named ‘Starboard’, was seen by tourists tearing a great white shark to shreds.
Dr. Alison Towner from Rhodes University led an international research team to the discovery by analyzing images captured by tourists on a nearby boat.
She said: ‘What we saw was a killer whale, nicknamed Starboard – because of its collapsed dorsal fin – single-handedly taking out and eating a great white shark in an astonishing two minutes.
‘Starboard was observed preying on an 8-foot juvenile white shark, later carrying the shark’s liver in its mouth alongside a boat.
‘Analyzing the images from Starboard surprised us. We were not aware that he could hunt this shark species on his own and in such a quick time frame.
Despite their tendency to hunt and live in groups, killer whales’ behavior has changed noticeably in recent years
Many scientists believe that climate change is forcing marine mammals to change their behavior to adapt
“It just shows how skilled and skilled he is: a true super predator.”
At least two white sharks were killed during the observed interactions of this event, as evidenced by the discovery of a second carcass from 3.55 meters away.
Esther Jacobs, from the marine conservation group Keep Fin Alive, witnessed the event firsthand.
She said: ‘I have worked with white sharks for many years and for me they are always a beautiful and powerful sight to see.
‘To witness one of these incredible sharks being taken down so quickly and efficiently by an orca and reduced to easy prey was astonishing, but heartbreaking.
“White sharks face enough battles trying to live in our overexploited oceans, let alone losing their place in the food chain.”