We're gonna need a bigger shark.
Posted on 09/15/2020 5:48:21 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The study monitored the movements of 165 great white sharks near Farallon island and documented four encounters between visiting orcas and resident sharks
For years, the great white shark has been believed to be the ocean’s most feared predator. But when five shark carcasses washed ashore on a beach in South Africa’s Western Cape province in 2017, livers chomped from their bodies, a new question loomed in marine researcher’s minds — could the predator be prey?
Scientists examined the bite marks under the pectoral fins of the dead sharks and found that they matched only one other oceanic species — the orca, more popularly known as killer whales.
It’s surreal to imagine that Free Willy the friendly orca could be a threat to Bruce from Jaws. However, a 2019 study documenting the migration of great white sharks off the Farallon Island, located off the coast of San Francisco, has revealed just how much the whales terrify sharks.
A team of marine researchers, with the Monterey Bay Aquarium in San Francisco, found that great white sharks will immediately flee if they detect orcas nearby.
“When confronted by orcas, white sharks will immediately vacate their preferred hunting ground and will not return for up to a year, even though the orcas are only passing through,” said marine ecologist Salvador Jorgensen.
Between 2006 and 2013, the team tagged 165 sharks with electronic tags that would emit ultrasonic signals. Underwater receivers detected the signals as the sharks swam by, which let the team monitor the sharks’ comings and goings throughout Californian waters. They also collected 27 years of data on the population of orcas, sharks and elephant seals — which are preyed on by the sharks and orcas.
“On average, we document around 40 elephant seal predation events by white sharks at Southeast Farallon Island
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalpost.com ...
I disagree.
There’s a reason orcas are known as “the wolves of the sea.”
The killer whale has always been on top
“I thought the shark was a little tough tonight, Gladys.”
I saw a documentary on this (Thanks Shark Week). Fascinating.
As Lloyd Bridges said about Killer Whales in the 1957 episode of SEA HUNT,..”THEY AUGHT TO WIPE THEM OUT!”
It is called “The Age of Mammals” for a reason. Mammals have walked on the Moon and now they are eating sharks for fun and profit.
Well there’s a reason they’re called killer whales.
Whenever the Orcas have a surf and turf dinner with a great white in N. California.
The great whites get out of Dodge from Bodega Bay to maybe Mexico.
Actually, Chuck Norris is the most feared predator in the sea and on land. Killer whales panic and swim away quickly if they see an image of Chuck.
Chuck Norris has it!!!
Killer whales are the Chuck Norris of the sea. With his permission of course.
Unless there’s a megalodon out there, no shark is a match for an orca.
Makes you wonder what the hell is happening below the water line...
No comment. Jim runs a family-friendly site...
Killer whales. What a fish!
Jason Statham killed it...
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