Survival in the ocean is an endless struggle. And billions of years of evolution for some inhabitants of the seas were not in vain. The "arms race" is still ongoing, and applicants for underwater supremacy find out which of them is stronger.
And at this time, scientists are watching them. Modern science has a whole arsenal of tools, but some questions still remain open. One of them is connected with the one who is stronger - a shark or killer whale. You might think that the answer is obvious, but far from it.
To find out the truth, let's first look at the skills, physiological characteristics and “weapons” of our fighters.
Cannibal shark
After the release of the movie “Jaws”, the glory of the bloodthirsty supreme predator was firmly entrenched in the white shark. Sharks sometimes kill people - this is true, but not on the scale that television makes us think (for example, elephants and hippos are much ahead of them).
The nickname "cannibal" is attached to this fish so firmly that some have gained confidence that sharks do not eat anything other than unfortunate tourists.
To understand who is stronger - a shark or killer whale, consider the dimensions of the rivals.
The white shark grows to an average of 4.8 m and usually has a weight of about a ton. Mako, which some researchers put forward as a worthy rival to the killer whale, can weigh 150 kg and grow to a maximum of 3.2 meters. The tiger shark, considered one of the largest, has parameters of 5.5 m and 650 kg.
It is worth mentioning another member of the family - the whale shark, which with its 13 meters in length is the largest of the existing ones. But she will not participate in our competition, because she feeds on plankton and does not have large teeth. And she has practically no chance to meet the killer whale, since their ranges do not intersect. That is, the answer to the question of who is stronger - a whale shark or killer whale, is obvious. The shark is strong, but if the killer whales thought to attack her, she would simply have nothing to protect herself. Her life would depend only on whether she managed to escape from her pursuers.
Killer whale
So the name of the killer whale is translated from English. And her way of life fully justifies this formidable little mark.
In length, the average individual killer whale usually grows to 8-10 meters and has a mass of 8 tons. An obvious advantage for a white and black fighter!
But to determine who is stronger - a shark or a killer whale, external comparison is not enough. Well, add to this the information that killer whales are smart, organized, aggressive. They are mammals and stand one step higher than cartilaginous fish - sharks.
Bones Against Cartilage
Another advantage that can be an occasion in a tote to put on the killer whale, relates to the strength of the bone skeleton compared to cartilage. The killer whale is harder to kill and injure. And also note that the fangs of killer whales are about 3 times longer and more massive than shark teeth.
But we must take into account the fact that the cartilaginous skeleton is much lighter than the bone. This means that the shark has some advantages.
Gills vs. Lungs
Killer whales breathe air, but their element is water. Do not think that at depth everything depends on which organ helps to saturate the blood with oxygen. With one breath, the killer whale can dive for 40 minutes, and the battle between formidable opponents cannot last so long.
However, we take into account the nuance:
- The longer and more actively a shark moves in water, the more intensively its muscles (however, all other tissues) are saturated with oxygen.
- The faster the killer whale swims, the faster it consumes oxygen.
And again, the point goes into the corner of the ring, in which there is a toothy fish.
However, this is not a defeat. It only says that the shark can show great stamina. The speed under water is the same for them, but the mammal will get tired faster.
To understand who is stronger - a killer whale or a white shark, consider something much more significant than physiological features.
Intelligence
Killer whales are well trained and trained. They have a good memory. So, they can use the accumulated experience.
The shark acts on the level of instincts and reflexes (which, of course, there are black and white cetaceans).
Killer whales are pack animals. They are used to acting together. They have a hierarchy and unspoken laws. They are able to defend each other and organize attacks. Sharks can also pack in flocks, but act spontaneously, chaotically.
When it comes to intelligence, fish have no chance. The mammal greatly surpasses it.
Statistics data
It's time to move from talking to business. Fortunately, scientists have a lot of evidence and even documentary filming of underwater battles. Although, in fairness, we note that such skirmishes are not so frequent. As observations show, in the vast majority of cases, the shark prefers just to swim away. And rightly so! Probably, for the inhabitants of the depths, the answer to the question of who is stronger - a shark or a killer whale, is obvious. And the fish do not really like to once again climb into trouble.
But skirmishes sometimes happen, and in the vast majority of cases, mammals are the initiators. If a flock of killer whales attacks the shark, the chances of the latter to save are negligible. And in single combat, the advantage is on the side of the mammal.
However, several precedents were recorded when a group of sharks attacked an old or wounded killer whale and killed it.
