When we think about the ocean, sharks are at the top of the food chain. But what if that’s not always the truth?
An article in the African Journal of Marine Science states that, for the past five years, two orca whales have hunted and sufficiently terrified the great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. According to the study, the orca’s hunting habits have forced sharks to flee, strengthening the theory that fear can change sharks' movement patterns.
Sharks have always called the shots as the apex predator of the coast of Gansbaai, off the western cape of South Africa. Yet, ever since the arrival of two orcas in the area, the carcasses of eight great white sharks (with wounds indicative of orca attacks) have appeared along the shore.
Similar to other orca attacks, the orcas tore the shark's torsos apart, and removed their nutritious internal organs. The ...
