Dozens of Sharks Avoid South African Waters as Killer Whale Duo 'Port' and 'Starboard' Hunt Them

Killer whales were reported to have killed at least eight great white sharks by eating their livers in the waters off the coast of South Africa in recent years, according to a new study.

The findings become unique as the shark killers only included two orcas named "Port" and "Starboard," which were responsible for all the murders of the ocean's perceived predators for a long time.

Orca Duo

The study has been published in the journal African Journal of Marine Science on Wednesday, June 29.

In this research, scientists confirmed that the presence of the killer whale duo has "terrified" sharks in the area, particularly near the Gansbaai coast.

Gansbaai is situated around 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Cape Town, South Africa.

The coastal waters of the said country have been known for several shark attacks in the past.

However, the study asserted that Gansbaai, a haven for sharks all-year round, has witnessed a decrease in shark sightings since the orca tandem entered its waters in 2017.

Killer Whales and Dolphins

An orca or killer whale (Orcinus orca) species is related to the oceanic dolphin (Delphinus) species, which belong to the Family Delphinidae and among others, under the infraorder Cetacea.

This makes the predatory whales as the largest member of the its family within the animal kingdom.

An adult orca can weigh up to 4,000 kilograms and has a lifespan of up to 45 years.

According to the American Oceans organization, killer whales are often mistaken with the typical small dolphins due to their physical characteristics, with both species resembling a round head, short yet sharp teeth, and streamlined head.

Their dome-like head serve as a basin for their echolocation abilities, which allow them to navigate through the world's oceans or local sea using their biological global positioning system (GPS) by relying on sounds.

The dolphin family, including orcas, has been perceived before as gentle marine creatures.

However, both anecdotal evidence and recorded marine data before suggested that both killer whales and dolphins have a tendency for violent behavior.

Orcas vs. Sharks

In terms of predation, there is a growing evidence that suggests that orcas are far superior than shark species, including the notorious great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias).

The notion is based on previous sightings that the Orcinus members have been observed preying or feasting on the great whites worldwide.

In a paper published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports in April 2019, senior scientist Salvador Jorgensen from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and his colleagues debunked the long-held belief that great white sharks are the ocean's top predators.

Instead, they suggested that the designation belongs to killer whales.

The Atlantic also reported that Jorgensen and his team encountered an unusual event while studying the massive sharks.

It started when orcas entered the area, forcing the great whites to make an exit; where their absence remained for several months.

In terms of anecdotal data, unverified recordings posted on social media indicated that the large whales are capable of stunning great white sharks by lunging on them at high speed from the bottom before eating their livers.