In a rare and unsettling moment caught on video, orcas were filmed in the Gulf of California methodically hunting great white sharks and removing only their livers. Marine experts say the footage, recorded in 2020 and 2022, provides the clearest evidence yet of killer whales overpowering one of the ocean’s most feared predators.
The recordings show the orcas flipping the sharks over, rendering them motionless, then cutting into their undersides with remarkable accuracy to extract the liver — a fatty organ rich in nutrients. Researchers noted that the rest of the shark was left untouched, sinking to the sea floor.
The findings, published this week in Frontiers in Marine Science, are helping scientists better understand how these highly intelligent marine mammals hunt. It also raises new concerns about the potential ripple effects this behavior could have on the ocean’s food chain.
Orcas show surprising skill in targeting sharks
Scientists say orcas go after the liver because it’s packed with fat and energy, making it a valuable food source. In fact, the liver can make up about one-fourth of a shark’s entire body weight.
Video from the hunts captured one pod of orcas taking turns eating the liver of a young shark while a sea lion watched nearby. At one point, the whales blew bubbles at the sea lion, possibly to prevent it from getting too close to the remains.
Erick Higuera, a marine biologist and filmmaker who captured the footage, said he didn’t realize the significance of what he had recorded until he reviewed the video later. The shark’s liver was already hanging out, and minutes later the orcas surfaced carrying the organ in their mouths, he explained. Higuera later joined the research team as a coauthor on the study.
The killer whales belong to a group known as the Moctezuma pod, which has been monitored off the coast of Baja California for more than 10 years. This pod appears to specialize in hunting sharks and rays, adjusting its technique based on the species.
Hunting style suggests independent learning
Until now, confirmed cases of orcas hunting great whites had only come from South Africa. There, two male orcas, known by the nicknames Port and Starboard, have become infamous for removing the livers of adult great white sharks.
But the Mexican sightings tell a different story. The orcas in these videos are going after younger sharks, which suggests that they may have developed the behavior independently rather than learning it from other groups.
A 60-year-old grandmother killer whale named Sophia battling in what scientists believe is the first time a single orca was captured on camera killing a great white shark.
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According to marine biologist Alison Towner of Rhodes University, the difference in technique between the African and Mexican pods suggests that orcas are learning these hunting skills on their own — a rare example of group-specific behavior in marine animals.
Study coauthor Francesca Pancaldi explained how the orcas manage to immobilize the sharks. By flipping them upside down, they put the shark into a stunned state that prevents it from escaping or fighting back.
This behavior may not be new, but the ability to observe it is. Improved drone technology now allows scientists to witness and document events that were previously hidden in the vast open ocean. Researchers also believe that changes in ocean temperatures may be drawing more great whites into areas where orcas are present.
Shark loss could shift marine ecosystems
Experts warn that the growing trend of orcas hunting sharks could have serious effects on marine ecosystems. In South Africa, similar behavior caused great white sharks to flee important feeding grounds. As a result, other species such as seals and smaller sharks increased in number, which disrupted the balance of prey and predator in those areas.
If orcas in Mexico continue to target great whites, researchers say similar changes could unfold in the Gulf of California, affecting the entire food chain from top to bottom.