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An incredibly rare and significant footage shows tiger sharks tearing apart the carcass of a whale.
Off the coast of Australia, a rare event was documented as tiger sharks were seen feeding on the carcass of a massive humpback whale. Tiger sharks are usually considered solitary hunters, often preying alone, mostly at night. Therefore, the sight of a group of fifty tiger sharks gathered around the lifeless body of the humpback whale came as a surprise.
The scene was captured by a passing drone at the end of June, off the coast of the Australian state of Queensland. Drone footage shows sharks circling the humpback whale, and one shark tries to bite into its back. Meanwhile, other sharks continue to circle the carcass.
A chilling moment occurs when a bright green fluid starts to emanate from the whale’s body. It is the contents of the whale’s stomach, which must have been ruptured by one of the sharks.
This remarkable recording holds significance for at least two reasons. Firstly, it provides valuable material for scientists studying shark behavior and life patterns.
“The death of a whale, while sad, is a source of life for many scavengers, such as sharks and other marine creatures,” said Daniel Clifton from Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science (DES). “We are fortunate to have been…