Orcas are eating sharks in the Gulf of California — and it may be happening more than we think, experts say

LiveScience —

Orcas are hunting sharks in the Gulf of California, targeting large species including bull sharks and blacktips, scientists reveal.  

Three orcas, or killer whales, are behind the attacks, and researchers say it is unclear what impact these hunts could have on the ecosystem, and whether sharks will eventually decide to leave the area. 

In a new study published June 4 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, scientists recorded three instances of orcas (Orcinus orca) preying on sharks between 2022 and 2023 in the Cabo Pulmo National Park (CPNP), a marine protected area in the Gulf of California, Mexico. 

“The events described here represent the first documented predator-prey interactions between orca and sharks within the boundaries of the marine protected area of CPNP,” the scientists wrote. 

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