Orca Attacks Sharks on New Zealand Beach
- 13 years ago
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A rare sight in New Zealand when a killer whale attacked sharks on Blue Cliffs Beach. One of the sharks beached itself to avoid its predator.
People in New Zealand's South Island witnessed a natural event not often seen, when an orca attacked a group of sharks on a beach at the town of Tuatapera.
The killer whale was on the hunt, chasing the sharks just meters from a popular swimming beach. A handful of people were lucky to see the natural spectacle play out in front of them.
[David Evans, Eyewitness]:
"We were just, sort of, sitting down to have breakfast, and then the farmers from down the road came up and said they were watching whales. So we just all piled in the truck and grabbed the camera, grabbed the video, and just went down to the beach and started videoing. It was great."
The orca chased the sharks onto the beach, much to the excitement of a local dog called Flea.
One shark ended up on the sand. Appearing to be exhausted, the shark was tossed and rolled by the motion of the waves.
New Zealand marine scientist, Clinton Duffy, who works for the Department of Conservation, said the video documented a sophisticated hunting tactic used by the orca.
[Clinton Duffy, Marine Scientist, New Zealand Department of Conservation]:
"I'd be picking that there'd be several more killer whales in a staggered line out to sea from the beach. So that whale that you see in the surf zone there is probably in there flushing fish off shore for the other ones to catch."
Duffy said he'd never before seen sharks beaching themselves in this way. However, he said he'd seen it before in other fish species, which swim onto a beach as the only means of escaping a predator.
Residents were amazed by what they'd seen.
[Barbara Robertson, Eyewitness]:
"It's amazing to see something that big and that spectacular here in...
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A rare sight in New Zealand when a killer whale attacked sharks on Blue Cliffs Beach. One of the sharks beached itself to avoid its predator.
People in New Zealand's South Island witnessed a natural event not often seen, when an orca attacked a group of sharks on a beach at the town of Tuatapera.
The killer whale was on the hunt, chasing the sharks just meters from a popular swimming beach. A handful of people were lucky to see the natural spectacle play out in front of them.
[David Evans, Eyewitness]:
"We were just, sort of, sitting down to have breakfast, and then the farmers from down the road came up and said they were watching whales. So we just all piled in the truck and grabbed the camera, grabbed the video, and just went down to the beach and started videoing. It was great."
The orca chased the sharks onto the beach, much to the excitement of a local dog called Flea.
One shark ended up on the sand. Appearing to be exhausted, the shark was tossed and rolled by the motion of the waves.
New Zealand marine scientist, Clinton Duffy, who works for the Department of Conservation, said the video documented a sophisticated hunting tactic used by the orca.
[Clinton Duffy, Marine Scientist, New Zealand Department of Conservation]:
"I'd be picking that there'd be several more killer whales in a staggered line out to sea from the beach. So that whale that you see in the surf zone there is probably in there flushing fish off shore for the other ones to catch."
Duffy said he'd never before seen sharks beaching themselves in this way. However, he said he'd seen it before in other fish species, which swim onto a beach as the only means of escaping a predator.
Residents were amazed by what they'd seen.
[Barbara Robertson, Eyewitness]:
"It's amazing to see something that big and that spectacular here in...