Different shark species seen feeding together in rare event caught on video
Sharks are often seen as fierce hunters, especially those patrolling the open oceans. But when a rare opportunity presents itself, like a drifting carcass, they sometimes scavenge instead. Scientists captured such a moment near Hawaii’s Big Island, revealing unexpected shark behavior.
Researchers described a scavenging event involving both tiger sharks and oceanic whitetip sharks. Their findings, published in Frontiers in Fish Science, highlight a rare moment of harmony between species that usually do not cross paths.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study to document a feeding aggregation of tiger sharks and oceanic whitetip sharks scavenging concurrently, and peacefully, on a carcass,” said first author Dr. Molly Scott of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Shark species scavenge together
Oceanic whitetips are solitary, wide-ranging predators. They grow to about two meters and prefer deep, open waters.
Tiger sharks, that are larger and more coastal, live in Hawaiʻi year-round. These species rarely meet due to their different habitat requirements.
On April 9, 2024, tour operators spotted a 3-meter-long (about 10 foot) floating carcass 10.7 kilometers (6.6 miles) offshore.
They captured 8.5 hours of underwater and drone footage. At least nine oceanic whitetips and five tiger sharks gathered at the site during this time.
Observers noted no signs of aggression. “Even though up to 12 individual sharks were feeding intermittently from a very small, highly degraded carcass we did not observe any agonistic inter- or intra-species aggression,” said Scott. “But it seems all individuals knew their place in the social hierarchy.”
Surface feeds and social rules
Video showed tiger sharks dominating the scavenge, feeding directly on the carcass. Larger oceanic whitetip sharks also fed, while smaller sharks stayed below, waiting for scraps.
Based on earlier sightings and features, the carcass was likely a rorqual whale.
Sharks showed four feeding styles. These included vertical lunges, rapid bites, saw-biting (twisting the head side-to-side), and rotary-biting (spinning to rip flesh). Oceanic whitetips used saw-biting faster than tiger sharks.
Despite close encounters, smaller sharks often moved aside for larger ones. “Some individuals, like the female tiger shark, may have been shier or less bold, likely again due to her size,” said Scott.
Returning faces in the crowd
Scientists used photo identification to track which sharks joined the scavenge event. They examined each shark’s dorsal fin, which has unique patterns like a fingerprint. This allowed them to confirm nine different oceanic whitetip sharks and five tiger sharks.
Most of the oceanic whitetips were female. Two of them had been photographed before. One female shark was seen again after five years, which is the longest time gap between sightings recorded in the database.
These new records expand the Hawai’i Community Tagging Program. This program collects photos of shark fins to identify and monitor individuals over time. It currently holds the world’s largest collection of dorsal fin images for oceanic whitetip sharks.
The data helps scientists study shark populations, movements, and how often the same sharks return to the area.
Few shark species joined the scavenge
Curiously, no other common species like silky, Galapagos, or sandbar sharks showed up.
The depth, competition risk, or natural caution may have kept them away. Silky sharks, for instance, are considered less bold than oceanic whitetips and tiger sharks.
The event also showed how tiger sharks may open feeding opportunities. Some tiger sharks regurgitated after overeating, creating feeding chances for smaller sharks below.
Sharks in a new light
Popular media rarely show shark behavior as it is is nature.
“There were between two and three humans in the water at all times filming more than 12 sharks feeding. None of the photographers reported any scary, aggressive, or harmful interactions with the sharks,” Scott said.
“I hope this provides a new perspective that sharks are not the human-eating predators they are made out to be.”
This study offers a brief but valuable look at how sharks behave while scavenging. It shows that sharks can coexist peacefully, even when food is limited. Even fierce-looking sharks can scavenge side by side without a fight.
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Click here to watch a video of this shark feeding frenzy…
The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Fish Science.
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