Shortfin mako shark tracked since 2020 eaten by great white

Scientists tracking the life of a shortfin mako shark made an astonishing discovery. The researchers aimed to better identify where this fish could be found, but what they established at one point surprised everyone.

Researchers from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality have been tracking the fate of a female shortfin mako shark about 3 metres long since 2020. The data they collected using special transmitters was intended to help better understand the locations and depths at which this fish feeds and resides.

From the beginning of the observations, researchers noticed a certain regularity, with similar data changing depending on the time of day. However, several days ago, measurements such as water temperature confirmed a significant change, which no longer matched scientists' expectations.

They then conducted a small investigation to determine what compelled the shark to make such a sudden transformation. The result, however, surprised everyone. According to scientists, most evidence suggests that the female shortfin mako shark was most likely eaten along with the transmitter by a larger great white shark.

According to Brooke Anderson, a marine fisheries biologist at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, this instance represents the earliest recorded occurrence of a shortfin mako shark being preyed upon globally, as reported by the website livescience.com.

The researcher emphasizes that this type of event completely changes the current understanding of interactions between different species of sharks. However, this discovery would not have been possible without specialized technology, which allowed them to see that the temperature indicated by the transmitter meant it was inside the stomach of another creature.