Are sharks really afraid of dolphins? Shark: Don't be afraid, you will be "sucked out of your liver" if you are not careful

Sharks are afraid of dolphins? Then see who is more scary!

You can often see movies about sharks. The sharks in the movies have big bloody mouths, bloodthirsty and cruel, and one bite is not an exaggeration; and dolphins are more reminiscent of the cute performers in the zoo. It will interact with you, it will play with you, not to mention how cute!

If there is a dolphin in the ocean, you will definitely jump into the sea to have a close interaction with the dolphin, but if it is a shark, it must be seen from a distance and run away.

Obviously, my first instinct told me that sharks are scarier, especially after watching a movie about a great white shark, and my deep-sea fears got worse.

According to this logic, sharks are afraid of dolphins?

However, the reality is that sharks are really "afraid" of dolphins, and this tension is especially evident between great white sharks and killer whales. And the great white shark will be "afraid" to actively avoid the killer whale!

Among surfers, there is a saying: "In the sea area with dolphins, there will be no sharks, so you can play with confidence!"

Although scientists have confirmed that this sentence is inaccurate, dolphins and sharks will gather together because of the same food, so there is no such thing as "there are dolphins without sharks", but the statement "sharks are afraid of dolphins" is not groundless!

There have always been stories of dolphins driving sharks away to save people.

In 1959, a passenger ship had an accident and tourists accidentally fell into the sea, attracting the attention of a group of sharks. It is said that the dolphin suddenly appeared at that time, drove the shark away, and protected the life of the drowning person;

In 2004, a group of selfless dolphins also rescued four swimmers from a great white shark. According to the participants, the dolphins remained around them until they escaped.

Killing great white sharks by killer whales is also real.

Discovery Channel's annual Shark Week, which began in July, documents and explores the mysterious disappearance of great white sharks off the coast of South Africa.

This was once a hunting ground for great white sharks, but now because killer whales roam this area to kill great white sharks, great white sharks have fled one after another, and sometimes they will not come back for several months, resulting in great changes in the ecology of the area. The initiators were 2 male killer whales!

The drone recorded the entire process of the killer whale hunting the great white shark:

In the video, 3 killer whales surround a great white shark, 2 surround and 1 attack from below the shark, bite and keep hitting the shark, trying to bring the shark out of the water. Wait until the shark stops moving before eating its liver.

This is not the first time killer whales have been spotted killing great white sharks. Since 2017, killer whales have killed at least 8 great white sharks in this area. Usually they waste most of their food and only selectively eat the shark's liver because of liver fat. High content and high energy. The way to obtain the liver, scientists believe that it is similar to "squeezing toothpaste".

Why are great white sharks gutted by killer whales?

1. Very cute, but also equipped with top predator gear

Dolphin is the collective name for the dolphin family, which is the largest family of mammals and cetaceans.

The largest of the dolphins is the killer whale, the male is 6-8 meters long and weighs more than 6 tons, and the female is slightly smaller, 5-7 meters, and weighs 3-4 tons.

Among the sharks, the largest existing shark is the whale shark, which is generally 9-12 meters in length, and the largest is 20 meters. However, the whale shark is a filter feeder, and in terms of ferociousness, it is still a great white shark. But the great white shark is smaller than the killer whale, and the larger adult male is about 6 meters.

Not only are there differences in size, but in other physical aspects, killer whales are also stronger.

For example, killer whales are more agile and faster. The body structure of the two is different, sharks are more suitable for horizontal activities, while dolphins can move up and down, and are more flexible and agile when attacking;

The nose and skull of killer whales are very hard. When attacking under the shark, they suddenly burst into a sprint, and it is easy to hit the shark into internal injuries;

Most importantly, sharks are solitary predators, and dolphins are mostly in groups, one-to-many, and sharks are obviously vulnerable.

2. Dolphins have high IQ

Killer whales are marine mammals with the second heaviest brain. The first is sperm whales. They have high IQs and have a complex social structure similar to elephants and higher primates. The older ones will impart skills and experience to the younger individuals. , the young also imitate and learn, and in captivity, interact with humans and receive complex training.

In the process of getting along with humans, the killer whale also showed its playfulness, curiosity and problem-solving ability. In almost all descriptions, killer whales, and most dolphins, are identified as "very intelligent" animals.

Because of their intelligence, killer whales have their own unique hunting skills. Some are good at fishing, some are good at stranded sea lions, and some like to bully other young dolphins. If they are hungry, killer whale groups will also attack underage blue whales. .

Those who are good at killing great white sharks have seized the weakness of the shark's "stiffness and stillness". Once the shark is turned over, it will not move, so the killer whale will keep hitting the shark from the bottom.

at last

In general, I don't think fear exists between sharks and dolphins.

Killer whales do prey on great white sharks, but a very small number of individuals do so, and sharks also prey on small dolphins.

In general, they respect each other and avoid each other. Unless food or space is squeezed, there will be a more extreme "avoidance behavior", which is what we understand to be afraid!

As a fish, the IQ of sharks is obviously lower than that of dolphins, which is the main reason why people often say "blood suppression".