SPINE-CHILLING photos reveal how a giant 15ft great white shark was mauled to death by an even bigger beast.
The largest predatory fish in the world had just devoured a dolphin in four bites when it was suddenly attacked by a much larger creature in a brutal underwater brawl.
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The shark even had its liver ripped out before its mangled carcass eventually washed up on South Africa’s Eastern Cape on May 28.
It's remains were photographed and uploaded to social media by marine biologist Alison Towner, who also confirmed the second carcass as “a freshly consumed” 6ft 6in common dolphin.
The animal was folded up in the shark’s stomach, Towner said, having been cleanly severed into four pieces and then swallowed whole.
The attack happened so soon after the shark consumed the dolphin that experts were able to reconstruct the dolphin's body back together.
But closer inspection on the shark also helped to identify exactly what killed it.
According to Towner, the suspect was none other than a killer whale - the only known animal to kill great white sharks.
“Killer whale rake (teeth) marks were found on the ventral surface of the shark’s head,” Towner wrote on Facebook.
“The shark’s liver was missing, with only a small piece of tissue remaining.”
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The discovery of the shark marks a “significant new observation” for marine biologists, Towner says.
60-year-old grandmother orca kills great white shark in incredibly rare moment
The attack marked the first time killer whale predation on a white shark in the Eastern Cape had been confirmed.
However, it was the 14th confirmed case of white shark predation by killer whales in South Africa since 2015.
Due to the shark's size and remote location, it was moved to the high-water mark to prevent it from washing back out to sea, allowing for a full necropsy to be performed the following morning.
A man living in South Africa’s Cefane region reported finding the shark at the Nyara River Mouth, where its teeth were also missing.
It was determined trophy hunters had visited the beach the night before the necropsy and illegally pulled its teeth out, officials said.
Researchers were still able to extract tissue and muscles samples “for ongoing research on white shark genetics and diet.”
The shark's remains were taken away to be buried at a remote site.
While orca attacks on great white sharks are rare, research has shown they are usually quick and brutal affairs.
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In her Facebook post, Towner noted how an orca called Starboard previously killed a white shark in less than two minutes.
The animal then "surfaced near a tourist boat with the liver of the shark in his mouth!" she said.
The marine biologist added: “We didn’t realise that the solitary hunting of white sharks at this speed was possible until now, and it highlights the predatory proficiency of these incredible predators.”
Earlier this year, remarkable footage captured the moment a 60-year-old grandmother orca hunts and kills a great white shark.
The beast, named Sophia, was captured in an incredibly rare video unleashing a fatal attack on its unsuspecting victim off the coast of South Africa.
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Filmed as part of National Geographic's limited series, “Queens,” Sophia is shown charging and slamming into theshark.
The killer whale, as they are also known, unleashed a devastating blow by smashing into the side of its victim and breaking its ribs.
Why do orcas target livers?
By Tom Malley
If you ever happen to stumble across the remains of an orca kill, you'll most likely notice that the liver is missing from its victim.
That's because these ocean beasts specifically target this area -whether it's a seal or a shark.
Perhaps the most fascinating part is how the liver is often removed with surgical precision, too.
But the reason orcas go for the liver is because it contains large amounts of a compound called squalene.
A polyunsaturated hydrocarbon, it is important to the synthesis of certain chemicals in the Orca's body.
Squalene can be found in certain fish oils in high amounts - but especially shark liver oil.
Therefore, this explains why sharks - and other orca prey - are found without their livers intact.
Targetting great white sharks is a bit of a recent trend amongst orcas but once they feel the benefits of their organs, it'#s likely they will focus on the sharks more frequently.
