A video from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed that sharks are not immune from turning into prayers. As a group of deep-sea sharks scavenged a downed swordfish off the coast of South Carolina, one of the feared beasts, unfortunately, became food.
NOAA cameras were exploring the wreckage of the SS Bloody Marsh tanker that was sunk by a German submarine during the war and is located 450 meters deep approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) off the coast of South Carolina.
Using NOAA’s remotely controlled Deep Discoverer (D2) ocean explorer, experts were able to get close to the wreckage.
As they did so, however, they didn’t expect to see a feeding frenzy, with multiple sharks devouring the “recently” deceased swordfish.
But things turned for sharks, which are deep-sea dogfish commonly known as sleeping sharks, when a grouper fish appeared.
Seemingly out of nowhere, the grouper fish, whose species can grow to eight feet, swoops down for its own dinner.
The grouper fish, also known as a wreck fish, can be seen with a shark tail hanging out of its mouth, while the end of the tail flaps helplessly.
The researchers said witnessing a huge fish feast on a shark is extremely rare.
Marine scientist Peter Auster of the University of Connecticut said: “You can’t plan to see this kind of thing, especially in the deep ocean.
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The researchers also said that it is rare to see a group of sharks feeding together.
Sharks are notoriously solitary creatures and do not hunt in packs.
Mr Auster added: “We normally don’t see deep sea sharks in a group or aggregation unless there is some food patch nearby.
“As relatively small apex predators, they spend a lot of time searching for prey.
“When a large food drop occurs, such as a swordfish over 250 pounds, the ability to detect and locate food, and then maximize food intake, is the key to growth and survival.”