More shark predation pics
Here is a predation. It ended in a successful kill for the great white shark.
Here is some info on anti-predatory strategies of Cape Fur Seals at Seal Island.
From direct observation and the data collected, Cape Fur Seals apparently reduce their vulnerability to Great White Sharks by:
• taking advantage of the expanded vigilance of entire groups; sub-surface vigilance while rafting is accomplished via assuming a head-down posture, with only the tail and the tip of the rear flippers showing above the surface.
• leaving Seal Island as co-ordinated groups of 8 to 12 animals; multiple groups – ranging from 2 to as many as 5 - leave the island at intervals of approximately 45 seconds
• single or small groups (2-5) of individuals executing a finely controlled zig-zaging evasive manoeuver when a Great White Shark is spotted stalking below them; this tactic is referred to as “working the shark”
• when an individual is actively pursued by a Great White Shark, riding its slipstream – usually mid-body, at the level of its dorsal fin – to remain out of reach of the shark’s jaws; this tactic is referred to as “on the shark”
• when a group is “hit” (attacked) by a White Shark, the individual seals ‘explode’ from the water in all directions, presumably serving to confuse the predator – perhaps sufficiently to allow some or all of them to escape; this tactic is relatively infrequent but highly spectacular
• when an individual or group returns to the island, swimming the last 50 metes or so underwater, presumably because this tactic reduces vulnerability to attack by White Sharks
• when any or all of the aforementioned tactics fail and a predatory attack is successful, the surviving seals become extremely vigilant - often to the point of seeming momentarily stunned - but are, in fact, hyper-alert.
In short, the Cape Fur Seals’ main anti-predatory strategies rely on vigilance and agility
Here is some info on anti-predatory strategies of Cape Fur Seals at Seal Island.
From direct observation and the data collected, Cape Fur Seals apparently reduce their vulnerability to Great White Sharks by:
• taking advantage of the expanded vigilance of entire groups; sub-surface vigilance while rafting is accomplished via assuming a head-down posture, with only the tail and the tip of the rear flippers showing above the surface.
• leaving Seal Island as co-ordinated groups of 8 to 12 animals; multiple groups – ranging from 2 to as many as 5 - leave the island at intervals of approximately 45 seconds
• single or small groups (2-5) of individuals executing a finely controlled zig-zaging evasive manoeuver when a Great White Shark is spotted stalking below them; this tactic is referred to as “working the shark”
• when an individual is actively pursued by a Great White Shark, riding its slipstream – usually mid-body, at the level of its dorsal fin – to remain out of reach of the shark’s jaws; this tactic is referred to as “on the shark”
• when a group is “hit” (attacked) by a White Shark, the individual seals ‘explode’ from the water in all directions, presumably serving to confuse the predator – perhaps sufficiently to allow some or all of them to escape; this tactic is relatively infrequent but highly spectacular
• when an individual or group returns to the island, swimming the last 50 metes or so underwater, presumably because this tactic reduces vulnerability to attack by White Sharks
• when any or all of the aforementioned tactics fail and a predatory attack is successful, the surviving seals become extremely vigilant - often to the point of seeming momentarily stunned - but are, in fact, hyper-alert.
In short, the Cape Fur Seals’ main anti-predatory strategies rely on vigilance and agility
Labels: cape fur seal, great white shark predation, Rob Lawrence shark pics


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