So, something that heightens my curiosity, Great White Sharks vs. Orca’s.

You think of Great Whites being these big predators, the biggest guy of them all, right? (Probably the movie Jaws fault.) …….Wrong. Orcas, Killer whales, are the biggest and literally the “baddest”. Why do I think this?

Orcas can precisely eat only the liver out of Great White Sharks. Like, so clean you would think a surgeon did it. The job I am currently working at, I need to know basic knowledge about marine life in Alaska. When I did further research past the basic knowledge of : “Came to Alaska for food”.. I realized that these animals, and their hunting strategies are actually insane. 

But why do Orca’s go for the liver? Well, it is rich in nutrients, and absolutely huge. But what is fascinating to me, it’s a learned behavior. Unless one in the Pod taught them, they do it once and realize how good it was for them. So, they do it again. They teach from there. Orcas are not eating sharks because they can. They are eating because it is needed. It’s basically like super fuel and incredibly good for them.

Click here to see a GRAPHIC picture of Great White missing liver.

The worst part (for the shark) is that the Orcas flip the shark upside down which causes a frozen state (tonic immobility) then from there, remove the liver without any further damage. It’s just crazy to think of the difference between intelligence and instinct. The percentage of the need to survive vs the practice of learning and passing on techniques are getting low. It’s just so neat to actually be aware of why.

Oddly enough this does stick with me. They listened to their own bodies and adapted their hunting strategy around it. Just makes me think about how doctors think about what we need when we are running low. Who knows what else they are capable of. 

I saw a video on Instagram of a drone shot of an Orca eating a liver. It’s not too ‘Gorey’. Click here to see it.

There is also a pretty clear video on YouTube of a 60-year-old Orca slamming right into a Shark, looked like she did it with no effort. Click here to see it.

If you liked this post and want more strange but true stories, follow along. I’ve got plenty more rabbit-holes where this came from. But for now, if you hear me talking about livers at work you know why.