Great white sharks get a bad rap.

Sure, they’re responsible for myriad attacks on surfers and swimmers (perhaps mistakenly), they’ve been demonized in Hollywood (Jaws, “Shark Week,” etc.) and, as a result, they strike fear in the masses, even though they’re around all the time (especially in southern California), according to a study from CSULB’s Shark Lab.

But, despite their apex predator status, great whites are just like any other wild animal, with their own quirks and characteristics, and challenges that test their survival.

In the latest video from The Malibu Artist, we see great whites interacting with a handful of marine animals – and some potentially harmful garbage, too.

First, The Malibu Artist captures a great white in the same frame as a monarch butterfly:

“A few years ago, if you would’ve told me that I would’ve captured a white shark and a butterfly in the same frame, I would’ve laughed. But in nature, anything is possible.”

Next, California yellowtail:

“What looks like they are pestering a young white shark, is actually a symbiotic relationship in motion. Many fish like yellowtail carry itchy parasites. In order to dislodge them, they have to rely on their environment. Some fish have evolved a variety of mechanisms to rid themselves of them – including using white sharks.”

Then, a mylar balloon:

“This balloon likely started somewhere far away, yet ended up in the ocean, where it will never break down. The balloon reads ‘happy birthday.’ Eventually, they can end up in the mouths and stomachs of sea creatures everywhere. Sharks are curious creatures; they are not alone in being affected by human waste.”

And finally, a sea lion:

“The sea lion abandons its chase for a meal, and decides to chase a nearby white shark instead. Perhaps, a defensive move. But nonetheless, it’s real nature.”

Move over, Sir David Attenborough.

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