A few years ago, researchers from the OCEARCH project published a photo of a nearly four-meter great white shark, whose head appeared to have been bitten off by an even larger rival.
The ocean can be the scene of very violent clashes. This is evidenced by a photo published on the OCEARCH project Facebook page. Researchers say they captured, tagged and released a nearly half-ton great white shark off the coast of Pennsylvania and Connecticut, which had a huge scar on its skull. The result, they say, of a confrontation with another even larger specimen. Probably for a partner.
“We know that shark mating is very violent. They bite their heads, this is nothing new. It’s part of their everyday life.”write the researchers.
Wounds that heal quickly
The shark, named Vimy, actually had two large bite marks. One of them was already healed. It was probably from the previous year. But the other was still fresh. If Vimy measures a little less than four meters long, for researchers, its adversary must have been at least one meter larger. Remember that some specimens of this species can reach six meters in length. Or even a little more.
It is also useful to point out that some sharks do not hesitate to eat others. Great whites, bull sharks or tiger sharks quite often attack smaller specimens. This is also the reason why many species prefer growing areas in shallow water. This allows them to stay safe from larger sharks while they gain some weight.
Despite these very impressive marks, the researchers emphasize that the animal is probably not suffering. They also point out that shark wounds heal very quickly.
As explained above, this shark has since been released into Atlantic waters. OCEARCH is an organization that collects data on large ocean predators. Such as great whites, orcas, dolphins or seals. Since its first expedition in 2007, more than 400 animals have been marked. An online tool also makes it possible to track Vimy's movements.
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