Killer whale hunts and eats great white shark | BBC News

A solitary killer whale, or orca, has been filmed hunting and killing a great white shark in an "astonishing" attack off the coast of South Africa.

Scientists said it was "unprecedented" and showed the exceptional predatory skills of killer whales.

Two orcas in particular off South Africa's coast have been observed before working together to hunt and kill sharks, including great whites.

Dr Alison Towner, a marine biologist from Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, led the study.

"This caught us off guard," said shark biologist Dr Towner.

Footage credits included:
Sea Search/Discovery
Leigh Carter, Go Dive Mossel Bay

Still photography credits:
Christiaan Stopforth

#Sharks #Orcas #KillerWhales #SouthAfrica #BBCNews

[juice]

When you're a shark and YOU start hearing the Jaws theme.

[bigdawgpelchee]

This is why you don’t lock an Apex Predator in Sea World

[supernotnatural]

"Every shark has a plan till they encounter a orca" - Tyson The Orca

[stephenfogle]

"Why would the orca eat the liver, " Orca- "tastes like chicken ."

[tm_]

"Why would the orca eat the liver?"

ORCA : "why would you eat ice cream?"

[vinbar]

Not sure how it will affect the ecology of the sea but both sharks and Orcas have been around for millions of years so I doubt this is a rare event. It's not as though a killer whale decided " today, I'll mostly be eating Great White Shark liver".

[caweso]

Easily digestible and easy access? No, it’s the most nutrient dense part of the shark. That’s makes it even scarier that these Orcas know this fact.

[sukhkaur]

It's not called Killer for no reason

[revolution]

Great White : I am the face of terror in these waters.
Orca : I am vengeance.

[innerspace]

I think your average plumber knows more about orcas than these BBC employees.

[Jimmy_Moon]

The Orca had this to say:

"I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti".

[twiginindo]

The irony of humans worrying that Orcas are disrupting the food chain is not lost on

[Aliveife]

Why is the scientist talking like Orcas just learned that sharks are just another meal. The nickname is Killer Whale for a reason.

[ramborez]

beach goers: orca has freed us
orca: oh i wouldnt say free, more like "under new management"

[ReeisLive]

Orca was like I want a Shark Sandwich today tired of the Seal Sub and Turtle Soup.

[OKeefeist]

Honestly the concern about it affecting the food chain is ridiculous. Probably been happening for millions of years.

[ErikTenBag]

Can't actually believe this.. blown away.. how can one man's head be so shiny?

[michaelbrooks]

"... but raise questions about how shark eating orcas might affect the food chain, " says the greatest destroyer of marine life on the planet. Wow, that was rich.

[MiguelLopez-ycrh]

Humans: Afraid when they hear Jaws theme
Sharks: Afraid when they hear Free Willy theme

[aribellex]

One of those rare occasions where you can truthfully say the shark is more afraid of you than you are of it