Shark predation

[Apex Titan]

Shark predation on adult Humpback whales

Predation and attacks from sharks on live adult humpback whales has been verified through necropsies on fresh carcasses off Hawaii (Mazzuca 1999). Several of these reports concluded that fatal shark attacks were the final cause of death. However, it was assumed that these whales were most likely in a moribund state from entanglement by floating debris leaving them in a weakened state prior to the fatal attacks. An investigation at the Abrolhos Bank in eastern Brazil found that while 22% of all humpback whale carcases were fed on by large sharks, an additional three live whales were also observed to have bite scars inflicted by large sharks (Bornatowski et al. 2012).

Other notable reports of live predation events are by white sharks on pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps off the Californian coast (Long and Jones 1996) and on humpback whales in Western Australia (Holyoake 2012). 

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/asse...sharks.pdf



Giant squid on the menu for great white sharks

A new battle of the deep between great white sharks and giant squid could be going on right now, new research shows.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Feeling peckish? Great white sharks are taking on giant squid

Tagged sharks were recorded travelling hundreds of kilometres to an area of the Pacific Ocean regarded as an ecological desert a€“ except for the squid, which can grow up to 14m (46ft). Once they found the spot 2,600km (1,600miles) off the Californian coast, they stopped their migration and started deep, frequent dives. The area also attracts sperm whales, which are known to feed on squid.

The month-long study by Californian marine ecologist Michael Domeier also showed sharks were far from the opportunistic coastal predator seen in films such as Jaws. “They are not a coastal shark that comes out to the middle of the ocean. They are an ocean shark that comes to the coast,” he said.

https://metro.co.uk/2010/03/10/great-whi...id-159787/


Domeier and a team followed 22 of his subjects to an area 1,500 miles east of Kauai, Hawaii—a place lacking any prey suitable for these sharks but waters that did contain sperm whales, known to feed on large squid. That led Domeier to conclude that the great whites were eating large squids, including the legendary giant squids, and the predators they attract.

https://www.audubon.org/news/great-white...ant-squids Reply