KILLER WHALES! Orcas named Port and Starboard kill 17 sharks in a single day in terrifying spree
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA: A pair of orcas, also known as killer whales are responsible for ruthlessly killing 17 sharks in one day off the coast of South Africa. Orcas, the only known predator of the great white and dinosaur sharks are renowned for their insatiable bloodlust.
Researchers from the Marine Dynamics academy have named the pair Port and Starboard and have been learning its behavior since they arrived in the region in 2015. Although researchers are concerned if more killer whales adopt the hunting habit of preying on white sharks, this behavior could endanger its species and have a far wider impact on the great white population.
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Killer whales' hunting pattern
The marine conservationists studying Port and Starboard feasting habit have noticed every white shark has been ribbed open and was missing a liver, a highly nutritious organ, the orcas thrive upon, according to Daily Mail. Researchers believe the pair of orcas are devouring the liver due to its abundance of a compound called squalene, which is a precursor vital for the production of hormones. The pair work together by using the sharks towards the surface and flipping them over to stomach facing so they can easily munch on the stomach to extract the buoyant, oil-rich liver while leaving the other organs untouched.
Researchers claim the killer whales have already upended the food chain in the waters off Cape Town after destroying the great white population and now moved on to hunting dinosaur sharks. Their ruthless killing thirst across South Africa has helped researchers determine that sharks have flight responses. Sources claim only three studies have scrutinized flight response among sharks but a recent paper released in October shows the widely frightened sharks did not return to their natural habitat because they were scared of a previous slaughter.
'Group hunting methods make them incredibly effective predators!'
"We first observed the flight responses of (dinosaur) white sharks to the presence of killer whales Port and Starboard in False Bay in 2015 and 2017," said, Dr Alison Kock, South African National Parks' shark expert. "The sharks ultimately abandoned former key habitats, which has had significant knock-on effects for both the ecosystem and shark-related tourism." Dr Simon Elwen, a research associate at Stellenbosch University, said, "Killer whales are highly intelligent and social animals. Their group hunting methods make them incredibly effective predators." The insatiable blood thirst predators usually feed on seals, dolphins, turtles, and squid.
Furthermore, researchers believe their ruthless hunting practice could impact shark populations. In the past 50, years over 70 percent of the number of sharks in open oceans has fallen. Three-quarters of species are threatened with extinction, including the Great White due to factors including climate change and overfishing.