Home > Biology > SHARK WEEK: RECOMMENDED IMAGE(S): Humpback Whale Shark Attack: Humpback whale tiger shark attack: A natural phenomenon caught on camera

SHARK WEEK: RECOMMENDED IMAGE(S): Humpback Whale Shark Attack: Humpback whale tiger shark attack: A natural phenomenon caught on camera

We are use to seeing land predators such as lions take down their prey in parts of the world like Africa on television. However, NOAA officials had a very rare opportunity to photograph several tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) attack a sick humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf back in November 2006 off the Kailua-Kona area of Big Island. The scenes are dramatic, because they offer an extraordinary glimpse into the life and death struggle occurring underneath the ocean waves. From NOAA:

They also noted that little could have been done to save the animal. “Shark attacks are part of the natural world in which these animals live,” said Viezbicke. “To them an ailing marine mammal is a meal and what happened was a natural process within the marine world.”

Following the year-old mammal’s death, its carcass was towed and tied to a fish buoy approximately three miles off shore. Officials returned the next day to find the remains gone.

PHOTO CREDIT: KOSTA STAMOULIS, NOAA NMFS PERMIT # 932-1489-08.

Larger Image Found Here
Larger Image Found Here

See more Shark Week on The Conservation Report

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  1. December 31, 2008 at 2:00 am | #1

    Shark attacks are increasing at a rapid pace. A shark injured a 35 -year-old British surfer sunday off the Pacific coast of Mexico. A day earlier, a surfer was killed by a shark off a nearby beach. The two attacks came a month after a shark killed a San Francisco man surfing in the same area.

  2. Sanchez
    March 12, 2009 at 9:30 am | #2

    It’s time to wipe out these godless killing machines!

    • RJ
      May 5, 2009 at 9:08 pm | #3

      Awesome reply to the sharks eating the whale. They are godless killing machines, that’s why the ocean isn’t a stagnant pool of filth. Stick to your area of expertise:
      Republicanism and uninformed opinions. Shark fin soup anyone?

    • Sithinaboot
      May 28, 2009 at 3:57 pm | #4

      Its time for a ‘culling’ of the human race. selfish, arrogant, corrupt, greedy race of filthy parasites- we as a race are the most un-natural on the planet. If you look at it another way- sharks live in water. It is their domain. If you swim or surf in the sea you cannot be so arrogant as to get pissed off if you get eaten, stung or bitten by anything that lives there. Just the same as if you were in the jungle- if you get eaten or killed by something that lives there then that is just your tough luck. Don’t bitch about it. Your not supposed to be there. If you were, then you would have the intelligence to respect the natural world and have the initiative to survive. I get sick of all these hill billies kicking up a fuss when some dumb-ass surfer is attacked when surfing or swimming in the sea (especially in Australia) then everyone in the village goes out on a killing spree – murdering every fish in sight. FFS we don’t even do that to paedophiles and murderers who at least have the CHOICE to act differently.

      We have the CHOICE to respect nature and we don’t. If you fuck with nature then you will get fucked yourself.

      Nature is a beautiful thing, however cruel. We (Human race) are a cancer upon the earth and soon t here will be nothing left. We aren’t smart enough to realise that the death of everything else, the planet, spells the death of us.

      FTW

  3. Harley
    April 9, 2009 at 5:11 pm | #5

    sharks are an amazing part of the natural world…. you are commenting on some thing that you dont even understand out of stupidity and fear sanchez.. do a little research and learn something before opening your mouth, try opening your mind instead…. its the same as a snake killing a mouse.. all natural and with out it the world would have a different problem… lets focus on our worlds state instead of what we have no control over nor ever will..

  4. bob
    April 30, 2009 at 3:36 pm | #6

    this is so fake

  5. Anonymous
    May 28, 2009 at 8:42 pm | #7

    shitinabout your just as stupid as sanchez. Good luck with your culling and stereotyping.

  6. Cody
    August 7, 2009 at 6:15 pm | #8

    Shark attacks happen but its not the sharks fault, its your stupidity and lack of knowing what risks you take while in the water. I love sharks, always have, always will, even if i get bit by one, Ive raised fish they bite me when i clean the tank but you dont see me killing them, its part of freaking nature, senceless killing of sharks is stupid and will throw off the balance of the world, when there all gone fish will over populate, itll get so bad that theyll start to die,, it could cause a chain of events to take place, I respect the earth and everything on it, yeah im 18 so what, at least i know better, than to kill for fun or just because they attack people. your more likely to get stuck by lightning than to get bit by a shark anyways things people say just piss me off

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