There are two orcas named Port and Starboard. There have been eight great white sharks that have washed up in South Africa in the last two years. Seven of the sharks were missing parts of their bodies. A team of researchers believe that Port and Starboard were responsible for the killings of the sharks and that more sharks were killed by the same pair. The findings are in a journal. The lead author of the new research said that killer whales are highly specialized hunters. One-third of the shark's body weight is fat, and this type has learned how to target it. Orcas can be over 30 feet long and weigh over 7 tons. Orcas eat seals and dolphins as well as sharks and squids. Great white sharks can be up to 20 feet long and have hundreds of sharp teeth, making them a fearsome opponent. The hunters were the hunted.
Towner's team found that the great white sharks have stopped visiting certain areas along the South African coast where the orcas have been feeding. The longer the great white sharks stay away, the more frequent the orcas are.
The orcas are making a mess of the food chain. The bronze whaler shark, which is known to be eaten by great whites, is emerging as a new predator. The sharks are being hunted by the orcas as well.
The reduced presence of great whites has led to an increase in the number of Cape fur seals in the area. Towner said that although this is a hypothesis for now, there is only so much pressure an environment can take.
The World Wildlife Fund says that great whites are vulnerable. The sharks have no choice but to leave ship and habitat.
The great white sharks may have pushed megalodons to extinction.
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