06 March 2024 , 20:07
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An extremely rare video has captured the moment a 60-year-old "grandmother" orca killed a great white shark off the coast of South Africa.
The fatal ocean brawl was filmed as part of National Geographic's limited series "Queens" - and an amazing clip that has been doing the rounds online shows the orca, named Sophia, quickly charging at the shark and taking a chomp out of it. Scientists believe this is the first time a single orca was filmed killing a great white shark.
The killer whale, as orcas are also known, smashed into the side of the shark, causing a huge splash in the water. And even though the shark tried to escape, Sophia circled back to attack it once more until it succumbed to its injuries.
The fatal encounter was filmed by National Geographic (National Geographic)Dr. Chris Lowe told ABC News: "Orcas are very smart animals. They're very powerful and, in some cases, probably even more powerful than a white shark." He added: "We often think of white sharks as being the top predator in the ocean when actually orca are."
Even though they are called killer whales, orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are mostly black on top with white undersides and white patches near the eyes - and have a grey or white saddle patch behind the dorsal fin.
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The 'grandmother' orca charged at the shark (National Geographic)They are highly social animals who live in groups called pods. They can grow to 30ft long and weigh up to six tons. Orcas can live up to 90 years, with females usually living longer than males, according to WWF.
Female orcas start breeding at around six to 10 years old, and males at 10 to 13 years old. Breeding occurs all year round but it is more common in summer. The gestation period of an orca is about 17 months - the longest of all cetaceans. Females may give birth every three to five years, although sometimes it may be as long as a decade between successful births.
The shark tried to escape but eventually succumbed to its injuries (National Geographic)In June 2022, scientists said great white sharks are fleeing waters they have occupied for centuries after a pair of killer whales developed a taste for their lives. The orcas embarked on a serial killing spree, leaving great white shark carcasses littering the beaches and waters around South Africa in recent years.
The world's most famous marine predator has had the tables turned on it after two orcas took a liking to how their oil-rich livers tasted. The first sign that the orcas were hunting the great whites came in 2017 when the remains of four great whites washed up on the beaches of Gansbaai, around 60 miles east of Cape Town.
Each body shared one terrifying similarity, the shark's undersides had been ripped open and their huge, oil-rich livers eaten. A single pair of male killer whales, known as Port and Starboard to researchers, are thought to have been behind the string of attacks, each of which corresponded with a sighting of the duo.