Victoria: Researchers have confirmed the first case of orcas preying on a great white shark in Australian waters. In a new study, a team from Flinders University in South Australia analyzed DNA collected from bite wounds on a great white shark carcass and confirmed that it was killed by orcas.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the 4.7-meter shark washed ashore in the southeastern state of Victoria in October 2023, two days after members of the public reported seeing three killer whales in the area engaged in hunting behavior. Isabella Reeves, lead author of the study from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University, stated that this was the first confirmed case of predation by killer whales on a white shark in Australia.
“Seeing this is actually very rare,” Reeves told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). “That a white shark washed up relatively soon after being predated upon with enough remnant DNA to confirm killer whales were responsible for this event is spectacular.”
The r
esearch team found that the bite wounds on the shark were consistent with killer whale attacks on sharks observed off the coast of South Africa. Study co-lead Adam Miller highlighted that such attacks in South Africa have contributed to the decline of white shark numbers, leading to changes in the marine ecosystem. He emphasized the importance of preserving white sharks due to their role as regulators of ecosystem structure and functions.