Two recent observations-one made from a helicopter and the other from a drone-captured two of the ocean's most deadly predators engaging in a confrontation. However, it is worth noting that this was no ordinary fight.
This is the world's first footage of a group of orcas going "fin-to-fin" with a great white shark, as reported first by ScienceAlert.
Hunting the Great White
According to marine biologist Alison Towner of Rhodes University in South Africa, this behavior has never before been seen in detail, and most definitely never from the air.
On the afternoon of May 16, a drifting drone in Mossel Bay's harbor noticed a white belly in the water. The drone's operator, a beachside enthusiast, chose to follow a group of killer whales who were swimming close to the surface.
While the drone was recording the sharks, it was able to catch a pair of orcas that moved off eastward toward the river mouth, which is a recognized center for shark activity. The orcas started swimming close to each other on the ocean's surface, facing different directions as if they were maintaining watch.
After seven seconds, a fifth orca came out from the waters between the two patrols and a three-meter-long white shark was being pushed to the surface by its nose while it was lying on its belly.
The orca quickly flipped the shark onto its side and bit into the shark's belly behind its pectoral fin, causing blood to splatter into the water.
The fifth orca dove deep once again and released the carcass. One of the patrols bit the shark's tail and pulled it deep into the waters.
Read Also: This Haunting Image of a Dead Whale Being Circled By Sharks Wins Australia's Photography Prize
Starboard the Shark Killer
A member of the orca pod was later recognized as "Starboard," a well-known male with a dorsal fin that had collapsed, according to ScienceAlert's report. Before this, Starboard was linked to several shark carcasses that were washed up on South African beaches and four of them had missing livers.
Starboard and another male orca named Port are most likely the murderers of other local shark species, according to circumstantial evidence, even though no one has ever seen them engage in direct combat with a great white shark.
These two whales frequently visit shark hotspots, and when they do, the big fish usually leave the region for many days, as per ScienceAlert.
ScienceAlert further noted that white sharks are occasionally hunted by orcas, although only three studies have ever publicly documented these instances.
The first time the hunting method has been revealed in any depth is through a rigorous examination of the drone footage and photographs taken by a nearby helicopter. Based on the helicopter photos, orcas killed at least two additional white sharks on that day.
The pilot of the helicopter saw two shark killings from the air just before the drone footage. The pilot also used their phone to take several images and a few quick videos of the orca predators.
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
