Experts have named the mysterious killer responsible for the disappearance of the man-eating sharks that lived off the coast of South Africa. Their findings are set out in a report prepared for the South African Department of the Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, the Daily Mail writes.
From 2010 to 2016, man-eating sharks were seen in Falls Bay more than 200 times a year. In 2015, a pair of killer whales were first spotted in the region, nicknamed Port and Starboard (Left and Right). Two years later, on the beach near the South African city of Hansbai they found five torn to pieces man-eating sharks. The dead fish lacked livers, and the damage indicated that they were victims of killer whales. Two more sharks were later discovered, killed in the same way, with one dead this year.
Shark numbers began to decline rapidly thereafter. In 2018, in the Falls Bay area, these fish were seen only 50 times, that is, four times less than before. In 2019, man-eating sharks did not appear even once, and in 2020 they were noticed only once. This happened in January, and already in February, the killer whale hunting for the great white shark hit on the video. Marine guide Donavan Smith filmed the attack 400 kilometers from Cape Town.
The disappearance of man-eating sharks has turned into a serious problem for the South African tourism industry. In the past, tourists came to Cape Town specifically to see sharks during sea excursions, and even went under the water in special protective cages.
Scientists have discussed several reasons for the disappearance of sharks. Among others, theories were considered about the decline in the population due to the deterioration of environmental conditions or harm caused by poachers. The authors of the new report believe that poachers and the environment have nothing to do with it. In their opinion, there is a clear causal relationship between the disappearance of sharks and the appearance of a school of killer whales. They speculate that Port and Starboard may have become addicted to the substance squalene, which is found in shark liver.
The great white shark, or man-eating shark, is one of the largest predatory fish in the world. On average, representatives of this species grow up to 4.6-4.8 meters in length. Considered the most dangerous shark species for humans.
Killer whales are predatory marine mammals of the dolphin order. They reach ten meters in length and weigh up to eight tons. Among other things, killer whales hunt fish, seals, birds and turtles.
Earlier it was reported that in 2020 killer whales began to regularly attack small vessels off the coast of Western Europe. In November, a flock of six or seven killer whales surrounded a ship off the coast of Portugal and rammed it two hours. A similar incident with a British yacht near the Spanish Cape Finisterre was filmed on video a >.