Study Reveals Predator of Pregnant Porbeagle Shark

A recent study has uncovered the first documented case of a porbeagle shark being preyed upon by another shark, likely a great white or a shortfin mako, marking a surprising instance of shark-on-shark predation. Researchers tagged a pregnant female porbeagle in October 2020, but after 158 days, the tag began transmitting data indicating abnormal conditions, suggesting it had been ingested by a larger predator. This event is particularly concerning for the endangered porbeagle population, already threatened by overfishing, as it resulted in the loss of a reproductive female and her developing pups. The findings were published in Frontiers in Marine Science and indicate that such predation could significantly impact porbeagle recovery efforts. Additionally, a documentary titled 'Great White Summer' is exploring the implications of rising shark populations in the Cape and Islands, following a fatal shark attack in 2018. The study's lead author, Brooke Anderson, described the findings as both shocking and alarming, emphasizing the need for further research into predation dynamics among large sharks.