Scientists knew that offshore killer whales eat sharks. Frequently, when dead killer whales wash ashore, there are shark bits in their stomachs and the whales' teeth are worn to nubs from chewing through the sandpapery shark skin. The offshore killer whales only make an appearance in Monterey Bay every year or so.
Second, most species of cetacea (including large baleen whales) have small throats, which prevent them from swallowing a shark or large object.
At up to 30 metres long and weighing over 100 tonnes, a blue whale easily outsizes a white shark, which can measure perhaps over 6m and weigh less than a tonne. But the blue whale didn't get so big from killing and eating other large animals such as sharks.
While orcas have long been known as the ocean's fiercest predators, capable of taking out both sharks and large whales, Port and Starboard seem to have developed a special taste for sharks. In 2017 and 2019, the odd couple killed many great white sharks in South Africa's False Bay, again eating only their livers.
Key Points. Killer Whales eat shark liver for nutrients the same way people eat liver. Orcas have been recorded eating only organs. Killer whales are some of the top predators in the ocean and are even more deadly when hunting in packs.
Killer whales have a bite force that measures almost five times that of a great white shark. They bite with a force of 19,000 PSI, driving teeth measuring up to 4 inches long into their prey.
Made of very strong and thick bone, dolphin snouts are biological battering rams. Dolphins will position themselves several yards under a shark and burst upwards jabbing their snout into the soft underbelly of the shark causing serious internal injuries. More than Peas in a Pod.
In the battle between a megalodon and an orca pod, the orcas would have the advantage.
The Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus ssp. Intermedia) is the biggest animal on the planet, weighing up to 400,000 pounds (approximately 33 elephants) and reaching up to 98 feet in length.
Why can't you touch a whale shark? Swimming alongside a whale shark is fine however touching them will damage the protective mucus layer that protects the animal against bacteria and parasites, can disrupt their natural behaviour and cause them stress.
Although whale sharks are the third biggest creature in the ocean (after blue whales and fin whales), they're not aggressive and don't threaten humans. In fact, researchers and divers often swim right next to them, and the sharks don't mind a bit.
James Bartley (1870–1909) is the central figure in a late nineteenth-century story according to which he was swallowed whole by a sperm whale. He was found still living days later in the stomach of the whale, which was dead from harpooning.
Their mouths are big enough to hold a human. If they dive with you in there, you could suffocate. A lobster diver that found himself in a whale's mouthOpens in new tab survived because he had scuba equipment to help him breathe. Two kayakers also ended up in a whale's mouthOpens in new tab.
Killer Whales
When you think of top ocean predators, you probably think of sharks. Great white sharks, to be exact. But the true ruler of the sea is the killer whale. Killer whales are apex predators, which means they have no natural predators.
Megalodon from 'The Meg' was killed off by great white sharks, study suggests | The Independent.
Do orcas have predators? Orcas are apex predators, which means they're at the very top of the food chain and they have no predators. Killer whales are some of the largest and most powerful animals in the ocean, and no other predator is able to challenge them.
Mature megalodons likely did not have any predators, but newly birthed and juvenile individuals may have been vulnerable to other large predatory sharks, such as great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran), whose ranges and nurseries are thought to have overlapped with those of megalodon from the end of the Miocene and ...
Fastest marine mammal
In an Olympic sprint, the common dolphin would have some stiff competition, with the orca and Dell's porpoise hot on their heels, reaching maximum speeds of 56 km/h (34.8 mph) and 55 km/h (34.17 mph) respectively.
Because of their intelligence and social nature, orca whales are unlikely to attack humans out of aggression or hostility. In fact, there have been numerous instances of orca whales coming to the aid of humans who were in danger, such as when a group of orca whales helped a diver escape from a shark attack.
The answer here might be friendship. There are many cases where nomadic killer whales have gravitated to humans, bonding with them and playing games. Trainers at places like Sea World say very little goes into orca training. The whales seem to understand people, and are eager to cooperate and create bonds.
No one knows why, but dolphins have been saving people for thousands of years. Dating back to Ancient Greece, there are dozens of claims of dolphins rescuing people from sharks, helping drowning sailors, and guiding boats through rough waters. But it's not just ancient mythology – it's still happening all the time.
Some sharks such as the nurse shark have spiracles that force water across their gills allowing for stationary rest. Sharks do not sleep like humans do, but instead have active and restful periods.