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Discovery: This is why orcas attack great white sharks

The terrifying white shark is a top predator in the oceans. But a new Australian study shows that it itself sometimes becomes the hunted.

» Published: February 04 2025

Discovery: This is why orcas attack great white sharks
Photo: David Doubilet/AP/TT

A white shark carcass that washed up on a beach in the state of Victoria in Australia in 2023 has given researchers insight into how one of the ocean's most powerful inhabitants is hunted.

The 4.7-meter-long white shark – as long as a car – was missing its liver, and presented a unique opportunity to investigate who was behind the attack.

"The liver, digestive and reproductive organs were missing, and there were four clear bites," says researcher Isabella Reeves in a press release from Australian Flinders University.

By swabbing the bite wounds in search of DNA, the researchers were able to determine that the bite on the nutrient-rich liver was caused by orcas, while the three smaller bites were caused by broadnose sevengill sharks, a scavenger.

Previously, researchers have discovered similar behavior from orcas off the coast of South Africa and California.

"These findings are convincing evidence that orcas hunt white sharks in Australian waters, with a strong indication that they are after the liver," says Reeves.

The study is published in Ecology and Evolution.

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By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

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