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Video footage captures a pod of orcas, or killer whales, hunting a great white shark off the coast of Mossel Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape province. The first of its kind was shot last June using helicopters and drones.
The findings are detailed in a scientific study published this week in the journal ecology, scientists say this behavior has never been seen before and could have wider implications. “This behavior has never been witnessed in detail before, and certainly never in the air,” said Alison Towner, lead author of the study. protector.
“Orcas are very intelligent and social animals. Their group hunting methods make them very effective predators,” said study co-author Simon Irwin.
There is an hour-long chase scene in the video, during which a group of five killer whales can be seen chasing the great white shark. See orcas circling around a shark before killing one. However, scientists believe that three others were killed during the hunt.
The authors also say the video shows the practice is spreading because one of the whales is known to have attacked sharks, and earlier research has confirmed that orcas can learn from each other through “cultural transmission,” or adult-to-adult learning .
They also observed a decline in white shark numbers in the area after predation – a behavior known as the flight response. In fact, in the ensuing 45 days, only one great white shark was spotted in the area, according to the paper.
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