The sighting occurred off the coast of South Africa, where two killer whales named Port and Starboard have been hunting great white sharks since 2017. These predators prey on the nutrient-rich livers of sharks, leaving half-eaten carcasses ashore.
Killer whales have been known to prey on white sharks, but they have never been seen hunting alone. In this particular case, the male orca Starbord quickly subdued and ate the juvenile great white shark within two minutes.
The lead author of the study published in the African Journal of Marine Sciences, Dr. “This observation indicates that at least one killer whale was hunting alone, which is contrary to traditional cooperative hunting behavior known in the region,” said Alison Towner.
This solitary behavior raises concerns about potential environmental consequences. Primo Micarelli, co-author of the study, points out the decrease in the number of sightings of white killer whales in their habitat, which indicates a disruption in the food chain. Additionally, the recent discovery of a liverless killer whale off the coast of Australia points to the possible spread of such predatory behavior.
Source: Ferra
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