Photographer Captures A Great White Shark Killing A Seal 8 Feet In The Air
Photographer, Peter Verhoog, managed to capture the exact moment that a great white shark leaped 8 feet into the air to snarl a seal in one of the most breathtaking images you’ll ever see.
The 15-foot-long shark was clearly hungry and one of nature’s most deadly predators leaped out of the water to injure and then maul the poor seal.
The shark in question managed to eat two cape fur seals whole before also biting on several decoy seal that encouraged other sharks to eat them too.
Fifty-eight-year-old Peter Verhoog, a Dutch photographer, captured the event unfold, and he has explained what it is like to be in the presence of such deadly hunters in False Bay, South Africa.
Verhoog remarked, “The sight of a great white hunting is unbelievable. The immense power is incredible, and makes you feel humble. During the hunt the shark swims just above the sea foor, following the group of seals at speed.”
He then added, “When they have chosen their prey, mostly a slower or younger individual, they change their direction from horizontal to vertical, and swim straight up, so fast that they ‘jump out of the water. In many cases, they do not catch the seal, that frantically stars moving around, trying to escape the powerful jaws.”
Verhoog then stated, “If they do bite the seal, they leave it for a while, because a dying seal can wound the shark with its teeth and claws.”
Despite their reputation, Great White Sharks are actually in danger of becoming extinct due to the amount that humans capture; however, they are a vital part of an ocean’s ecosystem.
Verhoog explained, “Great white sharks are the most powerful sharks, and play an essential role in the health of our oceans. They keep the stocks of seals limited, and therefore protect fish stocks.”
What do you think of Verhoog’s images?
