Orcas Are Caught On Camera Hunting And Killing Great White Sharks In The Heavyweight Championship Of The Ocean

Killer whales have been caught on camera hunting and eating Great White Sharks for the first time, in an hour-long feeding frenzy. 

The extraordinary scenes were shot by both helicopter and drone pilots off the coast of South Africa, providing the first direct evidence of orcas preying on sharks.

They reveal that the killer whales were attacking at least four sharks for about an hour, and that this unusual predatory behaviour might be spreading in the species.

Scientists from the Marine Dynamics Academy studied the videos, and analysed drone and cage dive boat survey data before and after these predation events.

Lead author and PhD student Alison Towner said: 'This behaviour has never been witnessed in detail before - and certainly never from the air.'

I can't say that I am surprised that there is a new king of the ocean. The Great White Sharks have the brand recognition. They have the myth of Jaws. They have an entire week dedicated to them every summer on the Discovery Channel. Truth is that Great White Sharks are all about themselves. They've never been able to play as a team. They have all the talent in the world, but they're moody loners. Great White Sharks are the 2004 Kobe-Shaq Lakers. Everyone just doing their own thing. That's fine when you're going up against guppies and baby seals. It's another thing when you have a fierce, smart, well-coached team like the Orcas coming at you. The Orcas are the Chauncey Billups Pistons. They got that dog in them and they're smart as fuck. Hunt as a unit and they can take out anyone

Orcas might be the most fascinating animal on the planet. Besides humans they're the only species that scientists believe evolved in part due to their culture. What orcas do for fun, what they eat, how they communicate, and who they mate with is all based on culture. Why this orca pod's culture decided that they were going to eradicate their biggest rival for ocean apex predator I don't know. I can just picture a conference in the ocean with clicks, squeeks, and whistles and it was decided that the Great White's days were done. 

We need more studies of Orcas, but we need to do so while also leaving them alone. I've seen black fish and it was horrifying. They have giant brains. Second most complex brain on Earth next to humans. They're one of the only animals that can pass down skills and language to other generations. They teach hunting in a real way where other species rely mostly on instinct as opposed to education. They also sleep with one eye open...literally. So the Great White can't even get revenge at night. Orcas have thought of everything. We better have a plan for when they come to land