Killer whales attack bull sharks in the Gulf of California

New research published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science shows killer whales slaughtering sharks in the Gulf of California, returning them to the top spot among the ocean’s most fearsome animals, IFL Science reported on June 19.

Usually, killer whales (Orcinus orca) has a very wide hunting range that includes marine mammals such as seals, seabirds, squid and octopuses, as well as fish species. Cartilaginous fishes, which include several species of sharks, are occasionally eaten by killer whales but do not make up the majority of their diet. However, observations in recent years have revealed that killer whales are hunting great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in South Africa. Researchers often record cases of attacks through images recorded by people using personal cameras or drones.

A team of experts led by researcher Kathryn Ayres of Beneath the Waves company monitored killer whales in Cabo Pulmo National Park in the Gulf of California and found that a few individuals specialized in hunting sharks for nearly two years. These protected waters were the site of three different types of interactions between killer whales (predators) and sharks (prey) during that time.

First, a group of killer whales hovered around the blacktip shark area (Carcharhinus limbatus) gather in large numbers. The second event was a group of killer whales trying to kill bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), and finally the killer whales successfully ate a bull shark in the southern part of the area. In the second event, the shark escaped an attack by two killer whales by swimming underneath a local diving boat. The killer whale swam around the boat for about 30 seconds before leaving. Neither they nor the shark reappear in the drone footage.

Upon examining the video, the team identified the killer whales present in at least one event as “Quetzalli”, “Niich” and “Waay”. The research team speculates that since the national park was established in 1995, the number of sharks in the area has increased significantly compared to before, leading to increased interactions between the two species. In other places, the presence and predation of different shark species by killer whales may prompt sharks to leave the area. The research team is planning to maintain long-term monitoring of killer whale and shark interactions to determine potential long-term effects and impacts on protected waters.