'What the hell did this?': The orca brothers preying on great white sharks
Scientists have identified a pair of orcas, nicknamed Port and Starboard, as the predators responsible for killing great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. The orcas exhibit specialized hunting behavior, specifically targeting the sharks' livers, which has caused a significant decline in local shark populations.
Why it matters
This discovery provides critical insight into marine ecosystem shifts and the predatory behavior of apex marine mammals.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Isabelle Gerretsen Dave Hurwitz/ Simon's Town Boat Company When scientists first found dead great whites around South Africa, they couldn't believe their eyes. All bore the same marks of mutilation – their bodies were torn open and their livers had been extracted – and pointed to the same culprit. These deadly tactics are now seen around the world.
On 3 May 2017, a huge carcass of a great white shark washed up on the shore of Gansbaai, a fishing village near Cape Town in South Africa. The female shark weighed 1,100kg (2,425lb) and had a gaping wound on her underside, where her 90kg (198lb) liver had been extracted.
"We were like, 'What the hell did this?'" recalls Alison Towner, who led the necropsy on the dead shark.
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