Video: Killer Whale Viciously Attacks Great White Shark
Great white sharks are widely considered an apex predator.
As in, they’re at the top of the food chain in their respective domain; they have none, or very few, predators of their own; they eat almost anything, while almost everything else (humans included; i.e. surfers) steer clear for fear of their lives.
But what about killer whales? Who would win in a fight between the two?
Well, even though it might not be a question often pondered, there’s now an answer.
New footage from National Geographic shows an orca whale sneaking up on a great white shark, and absolutely wrecking it with a full-force attack.
From Nat Geo, in promotion of their new show Queens, actor Angela Basset narrates:
“This is Sofia, a master hunter. [Sofia attacks the shark.] Her aim was perfect. She takes the shark under, so everyone gets a piece. A matriarch will always feed the family.”
And it turns out, Sofia is on the older side; she’s 60, while the typical lifespan of killer whales is somewhere between 50 and 90 years old. Nat Geo notes: “Sofia may be a grandmother, but her age is no obstacle when it comes to providing for her family. She’s an adept hunter who’ll stop at nothing to feed those who depend on her.”
Lately, killer whales have been spotted off the California coast – once, headbutting a dolphin into the stratosphere off San Diego; and another time, ripping a dolphin to shreds, while a group of surfers were nearby in a La Jolla lineup.
And although surfers are commonly most fearful of sharks, when it comes to predators, perhaps killer whales should be higher on that list oceanic threats.
“Orca are very smart animals,” said Dr. Chris Lowe of Cal State University Long Beach’s Shark Lab. “They’re very powerful. And in some cases, probably more powerful than a white shark. I think what we’re seeing is probably an anomaly. We often think of white sharks as being the top predator in the ocean, when actually orca are."
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