Do sharks eat whales?

Do sharks eat whales?

Sharks eating whales isn’t exactly new- it’s the circle of life, after all. These highly adapted predators tend to hunt for fish, sea lions, seals, small toothed whales, and even sea turtles.

What does a basking shark eat?

zooplankton
What do basking sharks eat? The basking shark exclusively feeds on microscopic animals called zooplankton, which it catches by opening its mouth and allowing water to flow over its enlarged gill slits. Zooplankton in the water are then trapped in gill rakers covered in mucus.

Can a shark eat a live whale?

They have also been known to attack smaller cetacean species, such as the harbor porpoise and bottlenose dolphin. But while other species of shark, such as dusky sharks, have been known to prey on live humpback whales, this is the first example of white sharks doing the same.

Do whale sharks eat basking sharks?

Basking sharks have few predators. White sharks have been reported to scavenge on the remains of these sharks. Killer whales have been observed feeding on basking sharks off California in the US and New Zealand.

Do killer whales eat whales?

Killer whales feed on many different types of prey, including fish, seals, sea birds and squid. They can also take down whales larger than themselves, such as minke whales, and they are the only animal known to predate on great white sharks, according to The Natural History Museum in London.

Who are the predators of whales?

The primary predators of whales are human beings, sharks, and killer whales. The polar bear can attack whales, but humpback whales would be much too large for a single polar bear.

Is a basking shark a herbivore?

These sharks aren’t truly herbivorous, because they don’t discriminate between zooplankton (minute floating animals) and phytoplankton (minute floating plants), and Whale sharks will also eat small fish and coral spawn. Utilizing a low tropic level is only part of the reason for the Basking shark’s success.

Are whale sharks bigger than basking sharks?

Whale Sharks usually grow bigger than Basking Sharks. The average fully-grown Whale Shark measures around 30–33′ long, while Basking Sharks are generally in the 20–26′ range.

Do killer whales eat blue whales?

The only sea creature known to attack blue whales is the orca whale (scientific name: Orcinus orca) also known as the “killer whale”. They have been known to work in groups to attack blue whales. But blue whales probably see orcas as more of a pest than a predator.

Is a whale shark bigger than a basking shark?

What shark has no teeth?

Interestingly, basking sharks have almost completely lost their teeth. What they do have are hundreds of tiny, curved teeth that are no longer useful for capturing food.

Do whales have any predators?

Because of their size, power and speed, adult blue whales have virtually no natural ocean predators. The only sea creature known to attack blue whales is the orca whale (scientific name: Orcinus orca) also known as the “killer whale”. But blue whales probably see orcas as more of a pest than a predator.