A huge great white shark made a meal out of a humpback whale and the incident was caught on camera.
The person who filmed the video, a man named Keith Poe, was positioned right next to the humpback whale, which was floating lifelessly on the surface of the ocean.
The shark poked its head up from the water and started to gnaw on the poor whale, tugging on it and thrashing around in the sea as it tries to get a mouthful.
Watch the shocking video here:
The great white was identified as a female, and was said to be tearing chunks off the deceased whale for over 18 hours.
The man behind the camera, Mr Poe, explained the shark ate so much of the whale, ‘she was swimming around upside-down like she was intoxicated’.
Keith, who works as a shark tagger, filmed the video in Dana Point, California.
Explaining his role, Keith said:
I work with many scientists in assisting with tagging sharks, and extracting samples, whatever they need. I tag and release many species of sharks.
The shark tagger’s 25 years of experience in the role means he’s often called out for various situations, including bringing in dead whales out to sea in order to attract the sharks.
He continued:
Due to the experience I have, I am frequently called out for various situations, and occasionally a dead whale will wash up and I help assist in bringing it out to sea, which gives me the opportunity to attract sharks and tag them.
From his vantage point by the whale, Keith was able to film the great white shark having her meal, explaining how many other sharks also came to feast on the floating animal.
He added:
In this particular video this Great White ate off of this whale for 18 hours. I was able to capture many amazing videos and shots during her feast, along with other sharks.
Keith must be very brave to work as a shark tagger, especially around great whites which are as hungry as the one in the video seemed to be.
Though Keith had his reasons, I don’t necessarily think the whale deserved to be used as bait for the sharks, especially after seeing some of the nice things they do for humans.
An incredible video shows the kind actions of one whale which saved an unsuspecting snorkeler from a lurking tiger shark.
Watch the footage here:
Whale biologist Nan Hauser was out snorkelling with her team close to Muri Beach, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, with no knowledge the 15-foot-long shark was nearby.
Amazingly, the 50,000 pound male humpback whale did what it could to protect Nan, pushing her out of the shark’s way with his head and mouth.
The heroic whale continued to keep Nan safe by tucking her under his enormous pectoral fin, and though the moment wasn’t caught on camera, at one point the humpback reportedly even lifted the biologist out of the water.
The ocean really is an incredible place.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.