| Title |
White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) Scavenging on Whales and Its Potential Role in Further Shaping the Ecology of an Apex Predator
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
PLOS ONE, April 2013
|
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0060797 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Chris Fallows, Austin J. Gallagher, Neil Hammerschlag |
| Abstract |
Scavenging, a result of a temporary pulse of resources, occurs in virtually all ecosystems containing carnivores, and is an important energy transfer pathway that can impact ecosystem structure and function, and this ecological significance has largely been considered from a terrestrial standpoint; however, little is known about the role of scavenging in shaping the behavioral ecology of marine species, specifically apex predators. Here we present findings from multiple opportunistic observations of white sharks scavenging on whale carcasses in False Bay, South Africa. Observations of white sharks scavenging over successive days provided evidence of strategic and selective scavenging by this species. Moreover, extended daily observations permitted recordings of unique social, aggregative, and feeding behaviors. We further compare these data against observations of natural predation by sharks on seals in the study area. We discuss these data in relation to environmental conditions, shark social interactions, migration patterns, whale biology, and behaviorally-mediated trophic cascades. While the appearance of a whale carcass is largely a stochastic event, we propose that white shark scavenging on whales may represent an underestimated, yet significant component to the overall foraging ecology of this species, especially as individuals attain sexual maturity. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 45 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 8 | 18% |
| United Kingdom | 7 | 16% |
| South Africa | 5 | 11% |
| Canada | 2 | 4% |
| Hong Kong | 2 | 4% |
| Australia | 1 | 2% |
| Monaco | 1 | 2% |
| France | 1 | 2% |
| Indonesia | 1 | 2% |
| Other | 4 | 9% |
| Unknown | 13 | 29% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 32 | 71% |
| Scientists | 13 | 29% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 213 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2 | <1% |
| Chile | 2 | <1% |
| United States | 2 | <1% |
| Mexico | 2 | <1% |
| Brazil | 1 | <1% |
| Norway | 1 | <1% |
| Australia | 1 | <1% |
| South Africa | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown | 201 | 94% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 40 | 19% |
| Researcher | 35 | 16% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 34 | 16% |
| Student > Master | 34 | 16% |
| Other | 14 | 7% |
| Other | 21 | 10% |
| Unknown | 35 | 16% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 96 | 45% |
| Environmental Science | 38 | 18% |
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | 12 | 6% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 11 | 5% |
| Physics and Astronomy | 3 | 1% |
| Other | 14 | 7% |
| Unknown | 39 | 18% |