"Victims" avoid the coast

Orcas attack and eat great white sharks

The great white shark's only natural enemy: the great killer whale (orca)(Bild: Wildestanimal)

Researchers have made a discovery off the South African coast that confirms previous assumptions - namely that orcas target great white sharks and especially their innards. The whales had even permanently driven sharks away from two bays. The scientists were also able to observe a killer whale attacking a shark.

The scientists had noticed that great white sharks were becoming increasingly rare in two bays. "As far as I know, there were fewer than ten confirmed sightings in 2024," Esther Jacobs from the shark conservation organization Keep Fin Alive told the Guardian. In the past, they were often encountered in the bay off the coastal town of Gansbaai and Mossel Bay, around 300 kilometers away.

Two orca males in the researchers' sights
In 2017, the researchers began examining the carcasses of great white sharks that had been washed up on the coast in a completely shredded state: Some were missing their livers, some their hearts. Orcas were soon suspected as the attackers. Two male killer whales in particular were targeted by the scientists - but they were initially unable to catch "Port" and "Starboard" in the act. 

This shows the attack of an orca on a great white shark: 

But it was noticeable that great white sharks did not return to the area for a long time after such attacks, sometimes staying away for a few weeks, once even for a whole year. Previously, 800 to 1000 animals had been swimming off the coast of Gansbaai.

Attack "impressive and shocking" according to eyewitness
It was not until 2022 that a brutal orca attack on a great white shark was finally observed from a drone. Five killer whales attacked a shark in Mossel Bai and bit out the animal's liver between its pectoral fins. "Starboard" was one of the attackers. Researcher Jacobs was able to observe a live attack from the boat a year later. "It was both impressive and harrowing," she said, describing the scene when "Starboard" eviscerated a great white shark in front of her eyes. "Port" was also soon spotted at the scene. 

Since the incident in 2023, the animals have hardly returned to the area, Jacobs continued. This causes ecological problems, as Alison Towner explains. The population of Cape fur seals has risen sharply in the area: "In my opinion, great white shark populations at their previous levels could have helped to mitigate the rabies situation, as rabid seals would probably be easier targets."