Video footage has captured a pod of orcas, or killer whales, searching an incredible white shark off the coast of Moselle Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape province. The footage, the primary of its sort, was captured utilizing helicopters and drones final June.
Detailing the findings in a scientific examine launched this week within the journal ecologyThe scientists stated this habits has by no means been noticed earlier than and will have wide-ranging implications. “This behavior has never been observed in detail before, and certainly has never been observed from the air,” stated examine lead creator Alison Towner. Guardian,
“Killer whales are highly intelligent and social animals. Their group hunting methods make them incredibly effective hunters,” stated examine co-author Simon Elven.
The video comprises footage of an hour-long chase, by which a pod of 5 orcas is seen chasing a white shark. The orcas are seen circling the shark earlier than killing one. However, scientists imagine that three extra folks died through the hunt.
The authors additionally famous that the footage steered that the apply was spreading, as one of many whales was beforehand recognized to assault the shark, and as earlier research have established that the orcas had been “culturally related” to one another. transmission” or via adult-to-adult studying. ,
They additionally noticed a decline in white shark populations within the space after the hunters – a habits often called the flight response. In reality, based on the paper, just one nice white shark was sighted within the space within the subsequent 45 days.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
