“A great white shark that washed up on the South African coast had just eaten a dolphin before another even bigger predator took it out.

Biologist Alison Towner shared photos to social media following the autopsy of the 15-foot-long shark, confirming a 'killer whale predation' was the likely cause of death.

Scientists were called to the scene after a resident stumbled upon the mangled carcass at the Nyara River Mouth on May 28.

The most telltale signs of an orca attack were toothmarks on the creature's head, plus an even more pressing clue - a missing liver. …”

DailyMail article:
https://mol.im/a/13495949

Orca (actually members of the dolphin family) are highly evolved, intelligent, and tactically proficient hunters. Sharks in general are extremely primitive by comparison- virtually unchanged for millions and millions of years as a very successful design. Mammalian intelligence wins.

As an aside, if I’d have found that great white first, I’d have a nice set of jaws on the wall…

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:

As an aside, if I’d have found that great white first, I’d have a nice set of jaws on the wall…

One of our grandsons (5 yrs old) is a huge shark fan. We brought him a shark's tooth necklace from the Caribbean which he loved. Then I told him "You should have seen your grandmother get that tooth. She held the shark down, reached into his mouth, and pulled out one of his teeth!"

Full video if you want to wade through the intro

Soooo like a seafood turducken. .

Whalsharkin if you will.

quote:

Orca (actually members of the dolphin family) are highly evolved, intelligent, and tactically proficient hunters.

That's what sharks get for messing with 'family'.

That’s exactly why I don’t swim in the ocean. I am not at the top of the food chain.

I remember in the late 1970s, when we were flying over the beaches of Destin and seeing the "tourists" in the water surrounded by sharks and they had no idea.

Monkeys don't swim. Not because they cant, but because they fucking know better...

This predation puzzles me.
1. Species identification required, not just primitive movement response like a bass on a worm
2. Risk-reward calculation -- target is a dangerous fish, a fast swimmer, but worth the effort
3. Anatomy known -- that a liver exists, that the liver is the best, that the liver is located exactly here (with variable shark sizes, it would have to be based on visual references and 3D coordination)
4. Pleasure principle -- the liver has much less food energy than eating an entire fish, so finding the liver source and abandoning the rest of the carcass means that hunger alone cannot be the reason for the kill
5. Target acquisition -- knowing where sharks exist, where they feed, and in the vastness of the ocean seems impossible, but...
6. Tactical kills -- clear, focused and violent action from blind spots (visually), and away from the shark defense

With the orca also being trainable, directable, and willing to entertain humans in small ponds, while being innately capable of such violent feeding in the wild oceans, one has to wonder about their self-awareness, learning capacity, and decision-making.