A "hangry" great white shark has been filmed feasting on a whale carcass in Australia.
The video was filmed by local Darrin Bryant, and shows the shark taking large chunks out of the floating whale carcass off the coast of South Australia's Lincoln National Park.
"Nom nom hangry shark," Bryant captioned the video.
The shark can be seen thrashing in the water as it feasts on the animal.
"He's having a good old chew," a man can be heard saying.
The Department of Environment and Water has warned locals to stay clear of nearby beaches as sharks are expected to continue feasting on the carcass in a feeding frenzy. Officials will continue to monitor how long the carcass remains. It was last spotted floating on the Eyre Peninsula.
It is not uncommon for sharks to feast on whale carcasses. While great white sharks are infamous for being apex predators, dead whales present an opportunity for them to scavenge an easy meal rich in energy.
In July, up to 100 sharks were filmed feasting on a whale carcass off the coast of Australia. Big whale carcasses can attract numerous sharks lurking in the area.
Sharks are unlikely to attack fully grown, live whales on a regular basis due to their size. They may occasionally attack calves, and smaller mammals.
When a whale dies the body will often expand with gas, causing it to float to the surface. Ocean currents will often eventually cause it to become washed ashore.
When a dead whale carcass comes close to a beach, locals are always warned to stay clear to avoid being caught near sharks while they eat.
Shane Hodgens, owner of a fishing store called Tackleworld near to where the carcass is floating, was one of the first to spot it.
"There's a lovely campground there, it's a very popular campsite and it's got a nice beach as well so it's quite a popular swimming beach," Hodgens told ABC. "Coming up to Christmas holidays, it's going to be very busy and packed there. I wouldn't want it to be in the water for much longer, because it's starting to get a bit close to shore, that whale ... and there's been several sharks in the area."
Officials are not planning on removing the carcass and will let it naturally decompose.
Great white sharks do not actively hunt humans but if they come into contact with humans—especially while they are hunting—conflicts can occur.
When attacks happen, it is usually due to mistaken identity. Humans swimming in the water can mimic patterns of their preferred prey.
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Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
