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> they are the apex of the sea predators Orcas are known to hunt and kill sharks [0], and afaik, Orcas have no natural enemies. [0] https://www.abc.net.au/new

• dexen 8y ago
  True, but IIRC it's more of eliminating competition or maybe even a blood sport; sharks aren't major part of their diet[1]. Would make sense given that heavy metals and other toxins bio-accumulate up the food chain. I posit the high heavy metal levels is a defense mechanism for sharks: a slow acting poison. [1] IIRC again, orcas will leave a shark with the tail cut to just die of asphyxiation, somebody please correct me on this one
  • enchiridion 8y ago
    I believe the article posted yesterday pointed out that Orcas will eat shark liver, which is about 25% of a shark by weight and also very calorie dense.
  • nradov 8y ago
    Great White Sharks could present a danger to baby orcas, so adult orcas seem to sometimes kill the sharks as a protective measure.
• amelius 8y ago
  This was posted on HN yesterday. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19718344 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19718344
• pvaldes 8y ago
  Orcas have lots of natural enemies of course. Inside. There is not such thing like a creature that is not eaten by something I'm sceptic when I see fishermen saying that killer whales are the culprits of killing lots of sharks in the same week for eating their (poisonous?) liver. Fine oils in shark liver are targetted by fishermen. If there are a lot of sharks beached in a small area without its liver, pirate fishing should be counted also in the list of usual suspects.