In the waters of the Gulf of California, a pod of killer whales (Orcinus orca) has been documented hunting juvenile great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in a pattern that raises new questions about predator-prey dynamics in marine ecosystems.

According to a study published in Frontiers in Marine Science, researchers recorded repeated predation events in which the killer whales turned the young sharks upside down, triggering a state of tonic immobility, in order to access and consume the sharks’ livers.

The pod involved is referred to as Moctezuma’s pod. The study reports at least two hunting events, in 2020 and 2022, involving juvenile great whites in the region.

Scientists suggest that juvenile great white sharks may be more vulnerable to this hunting strategy because they lack the experience or avoidance behaviours of adult sharks.

This discovery builds on earlier observations of orcas hunting adult great white sharks in other regions (such as South Africa), but it is one of the first documented cases of repeated predation on juvenile great whites in Mexican waters.

The researchers call for further monitoring to determine how often these predation events occur, how they may affect shark populations, and whether other orca pods are practising similar tactics.

Check out the full video here: https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/article/video-shows-killer-whales-hunting-young-great-white-sharks-to-eat-their-livers/