Killer whales have learned to hunt white sharks more cruelly

An international team of scientists has captured unique footage of killer whales hunting young white sharks in the Gulf of California. The study showed that a group of killer whales, known as the Montezuma Pack, purposefully turn sharks upside down, putting them in a state of immobility in order to extract energy-rich livers. This was reported by Frontiers magazine.

"I believe that killer whales that feed on plate—gilled sharks and rays could, if they wanted, eat a great white shark wherever they went to look for it. This behavior demonstrates the developed intelligence of killer whales, their strategic thinking and complex social learning, as hunting skills are passed down from generation to generation in their pack," said Eric Higuera Rivas, marine biologist and head of the Conexiones Terramar and Pelagic Life project.

During the observations, scientists recorded two attacks in which killer whales killed three young sharks. The first occurred in August 2020, the second in August 2022. In both cases, five killer whales surrounded the shark, pushed it to the surface and turned it over, after which they ate the liver.

Flipping over puts the shark in a state of tonic immobility — paralysis, in which it cannot move or defend itself. According to Rivas, at this time, killer whales easily extract internal organs, including the liver, leaving the carcass.

Scientists suggest that killer whales have developed a safe technique that minimizes the risk of being bitten. At the same time, young sharks become easier prey due to inexperience.

"This is the first time we have seen killer whales repeatedly attacking young white sharks. Adult white sharks react quickly to killer whale hunting, completely leaving their seasonal habitat and not returning for months. But these young white sharks may be immune to killer whales. We just don't know yet whether the reaction of white sharks fleeing from predators is instinctive or whether it needs to be learned," said Salvador Jorgensen, a doctor from California State University.

This behavior has been linked to climate change. Due to ocean warming and the El Nino phenomenon, the places where young sharks grow up are shifting, and they become more vulnerable to attacks. According to the co-author of the study, Francesca Pancaldi, a doctor from the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico, experts observed how the pack feeds mainly on sharks and rays, but the range of prey may be wider.

Earlier, on July 23, the MassLive portal reported the discovery of a record-breaking large white shark with a length of more than 4 m and a weight of about 750 kg off the coast of the American city of Nantucket. According to the staff of the marine research organization OCEARCH, after the discovery of the individual, they began to monitor it in order to study it better.

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