Killer whales hunt great white off Knysna coast Posted on 7 February 2020 Marine tour guide Donavan Smith managed to capture a pair of orcas circling a great white shark off the Knysna coast while with clients. Orcas are known to snack on great whites, usually going straight for the liver. Initially the killer whale’s dorsal fins indicate their proximity to the boat, a few metres away, with the great white much closer. In the video, Smith says, ‘this is amazing, this is special stuff,’ as the great white swims past the tourists boat, where the enormity of the sea creature comes into perspective. The orcas are hot on the shark’s tail, engaging in a chase and coming closer to the boat. The livers of sharks are a favourite for orcas as they are nutrient-rich and very large. In 2017, a number of great white carcasses washed ashore at Gansbaai. After conducting necropsies, experts uncovered that the livers, stomachs and testicles were missing. In 2019, five dead broad-nosed seven gill (also known as cow sharks) washed ashore on Main Beach in Betty’s Bay. After conducting necropsies it was confirmed that the sharks were killed in the same way that great whites have previously washed up. Orcas will essentially split a shark open. Each orca grabs a pectoral fin, then the shark is flipped over and pulled apart, splitting open the throat and chest cavity and eventually exposing the liver. View this post on Instagram Killer whales VS Great white shark#greatwhiteshark #greatwhite #sharkweek #orcas #orca #southafrica #killerwhales #hunting #killerwhalesvsgreatwhite#killerwhale #oceanside #discovery #neverseenbefore #nationalgeographic A post shared by Donavan Smith (@donavansmith) on Jan 26, 2020 at 9:31pm PST Image: Unsplash Related Posts Malawi plans to translocate 250 elephants 27 June 2022 Malawi’s Department of National Parks plan to embark on a widescale elephant translocation, intending to... read more Adopt a tiny turtle: help a rescue return to the sea 27 June 2022 The Two Oceans Aquarium and the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation wants you to adopt... read more Delightful snow pictures from Sani Pass and Lesotho 27 June 2022 Sani Pass in western KwaZulu-Natal runs until Mokhotlong, Lesotho and was white and bright with... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
Malawi plans to translocate 250 elephants 27 June 2022 Malawi’s Department of National Parks plan to embark on a widescale elephant translocation, intending to... read more
Adopt a tiny turtle: help a rescue return to the sea 27 June 2022 The Two Oceans Aquarium and the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation wants you to adopt... read more
Delightful snow pictures from Sani Pass and Lesotho 27 June 2022 Sani Pass in western KwaZulu-Natal runs until Mokhotlong, Lesotho and was white and bright with... read more
