A pair of orcas drove great white sharks away from a stretch of South African coast after killing five sharks over just a few months in 2017, according to a new study.
Great whites used to dominate areas of the Gansbaai coast, around 100 kilometres to a paper published in theThe Gansbaai coast was once a popular spot for great white shark spotting, but sightings have decreased markedly in recent years. The study used long-term sightings and tagging data to demonstrate that great whites have been driven away by the orcas, sometimes known as killer whales.
The study tracked 14 great whites over five and a half years, and found they fled the area when the orcas were there. The researchers believe that the sharks' sense of fear sets off a fast, long-term mass migration when they know the predator is present. This means the extended absences witnessed by researches are unprecedented, and it's changing the ecosystem in the area."These bronze whalers are also being attacked by the orcas too, who are indicating a level of experience and skill in hunting large sharks," said Towner, who added that cape fur seals are now preying on African penguins, which are endangered.
"This change in both top predators' behavior could be related to a decline in prey populations, including fishes and sharks, causing changes in their distribution pattern," she said.
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