Rare Orca Hunt Captured on Video in Australia

A study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution has revealed the culprits behind the death of a great white shark found on a southwestern Australian beach in October 2023. Utilizing DNA analysis, researchers identified orcas, or killer whales, and broadnose sevengill sharks as the probable aggressors, as reported by scientists involved in the research.
The shark had washed ashore with significant bite wounds and was initially presumed to have died from natural causes. However, genomic analyses from swabs collected from the carcass confirmed the presence of killer whale DNA in a major bite area. The study emphasized that contamination from the marine environment was unlikely, given that samples were collected over 24 hours post-retrieval.
The injuries observed on the shark suggest a predatory event akin to the liver extractions performed by orcas on white sharks near South Africa. This incident contributes to growing evidence that killer whales are increasingly targeting apex predators, alongside their typical diet of fish and marine mammals.