Spine-chilling photos reveal how a giant 15ft great white shark was mauled to death by an even larger beast.
The world’s largest predatory fish had just devoured a dolphin in four bites when it was suddenly attacked by a much larger creature in a brutal underwater brawl.
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The shark even had its liver ripped out before its mutilated carcass ended up in South Africa’s Eastern Cape on May 28.
Its remains were photographed and uploaded to social media by marine biologist Alison Towner, who also confirmed the second carcass as “a recently consumed 6-foot common dolphin.”
The animal was folded in the shark’s stomach, Towner said, having been cut into four pieces and then swallowed whole.
The attack happened so soon after the shark consumed the dolphin that experts were able to reconstruct the dolphin’s body.
But closer inspection of the shark also helped identify exactly what killed it.
According to Towner, the suspect was none other than a killer whale – the only animal known to kill great white sharks.
“Killer whale tooth marks were found on the ventral surface of the shark’s head,” Towner wrote on Facebook.
“The shark’s liver was missing, with only a small piece of tissue remaining.”
The shark’s discovery marks a “significant new observation” for marine biologists, Towner says.
The attack marked the first time that killer whale predation on a great white shark in the Eastern Cape had been confirmed.
However, it was the 14th confirmed case of predation on white sharks by killer whales in South Africa since 2015.
Due to the shark’s size and remote location, it was moved to the high tide mark to prevent it from returning to sea, allowing a full necropsy to be carried out the following morning.
A man living in the Cefane region of South Africa reported finding the shark at the mouth of the Nyara River, where its teeth were also missing.
It was determined that trophy hunters visited the beach the night before the necropsy and illegally pulled out the teeth, authorities said.
The researchers were even able to extract tissue and muscle samples “for ongoing research into white shark genetics and diet.”
The shark’s remains were taken to be buried in a remote location.
Although orca attacks on great white sharks are rare, research shows they are often quick and brutal.
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In his Facebook post, Towner noted how an orca named Starboard previously killed a great white shark in less than two minutes.
The animal then “emerged near a tourist boat with the shark’s liver in its mouth!” she said.
The marine biologist added: “We didn’t realize that solitary hunting of white sharks at this speed was possible until now, and this highlights the predatory proficiency of these incredible predators.”
Earlier this year, remarkable footage captured the moment a 60-year-old orca grandmother hunts and kills a great white shark.
The beast, named Sophia, was captured in an incredibly rare video unleashing a fatal attack on its unsuspecting victim off the coast of South Africa.
Filmed as part of the National Geographic limited series “Queens,” Sophia is shown attacking and attacking the shark.
The killer whale, as they are also known, delivered a devastating blow by striking the victim in the side and breaking his ribs.
Why do orcas target livers?
By Tom Malley
If you happen to stumble across the remains of a dead orca, you’ll probably notice that the liver is missing from its victim.
This is because these oceanic beasts specifically attack this area – be it a seal or a shark.
Perhaps the most fascinating part is how the liver is also often removed with surgical precision.
But the reason orcas seek out the liver is because it contains large amounts of a compound called squalene.
Polyunsaturated hydrocarbon, it is important for the synthesis of certain chemical substances in the Orca’s body.
Squalene can be found in certain fish oils in large quantities – but especially in shark liver oil.
So this explains why sharks – and other orca prey – are found without their livers intact.
Targeting great white sharks is a recent trend among orcas, but once they feel the benefits of their organs, they are likely to target sharks more often.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
