An extraordinary event was documented for the first time off the coast of Costa Rica: a tiger shark being successfully hunted by a group of killer whales.
The attack took place in Chatham Bay on Cocos Island, a highly productive region in the Pacific known for its prevalence of sharks, rays, dolphins, and a variety of other large marine species.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The remarkable footage was captured by underwater photographer Caroline Power and British marine biologist Nicholas Bach.
In the video, three killer whales work as a team to force the panicked shark to the surface. This particular strategy involves flipping the shark on its back and holding it in place, which prevents the shark from moving oxygen-rich water over its gills. When sharks are upside down, they’re then susceptible to something called tonic immobility, which is a trance-like, relaxed state.
Because the shark isn’t receiving oxygen, the unlucky fish begins to drown. The whales then pull on the shark’s pectoral fins, and the belly splits open. The sizable liver is then squeezed out and devoured, providing the marine mammals with much-needed fat, oils and vitamins.
Ouch. Nature can be brutal.
