A Shark’s Bold Move Halts Whale Stranding Effort

The picturesque shores of northern Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula recently became the stage for a thrilling, albeit tragic, encounter. A colossal great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) measuring over 16 feet (5 meters) in length, exhibited a display of nature’s raw power as it swiftly decapitated a stranded pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps).

Understandably, it left spectators in awe - and horror.

Pygmy sperm whales belong to the toothed whale family, alongside dolphins and orcas; despite their name, they are not true sperm whales but are instead distant relatives. They inhabit deep offshore waters worldwide, preferring temperate and tropical regions. Recognizable by their small size, typically reaching lengths of around 11 feet (3.5 meters) and weighing up to 900 kilograms, pygmy sperm whales possess distinctive features such as a rounded head and a lower jaw that extends beyond the upper jaw. They are characterized by their solitary nature and deep-diving abilities, often descending to great depths in search of squid and fish. Despite ongoing research efforts, much remains unknown about their ecology and population dynamics. However, pygmy sperm whales face threats from entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation, and noise pollution.

The Māhia Peninsula community found themselves rallying around a pygmy sperm whale and her calf, who unexpectedly became stranded on one of their beaches. Springing into action to rescue the distressed creatures, it crossed no one’s mind that something would take advantage of the whales being so helpless.

Chad Prentice, Māhia’s sole charge police officer, recounted the chilling spectacle, noting that the first strike by the shark was so forceful that it propelled the whale's entire head into the air. “There are not many sharks that can do that,” he remarked, highlighting the exceptional power of the predator. “The water was red and about 30 seconds later the shark came back and hit the whole thing and took it out to sea — there is not even an ounce of remains left.” The stranded whale’s calf didn’t face the same fate. However, orphaned by the abrupt attack, it was euthanized for scientific study.

Marine mammal strandings, while not uncommon in New Zealand, remain an enigma for researchers. The Department of Conservation has documented historical instances, with the most significant being the 1918 mass stranding involving around 1,000 pilot whales. Despite strides in understanding, the causes of these events continue to elude scientists. The DOC had previously issued warnings about heightened shark activity in the region following the stranding and euthanization of false killer whales and bottlenose dolphins, asking the public to be vigilant when at the beach. Said Clinton Duffy, the DOC’s marine technical advisor, in a statement: “Several shark species feed on whale[s] and dolphins, including their carcasses, and can be attracted to the site of whale strandings. These include sevengill sharks, blue sharks, tiger sharks, and great white sharks.” Daren Grover, the general manager of New Zealand marine mammal charity Project Jonah, agreed with Duffy, describing sharks as “opportunistic predators” that often target sick or vulnerable animals.

Report whale or dolphin strandings to the DOC emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).