Researchers Discovered That New Zealand Leopard Seals Prey on Sharks

An extraordinary finding has been made on the basis of scat and scars found on the body of leopard seal.  

(Photo : George Desipris)

Shark Remains Found in Leopard Seals' Scat

Leopard seals from New Zealand have been discovered to be the first in the world to eat sharks, making them members of a very small and specialized group of marine predators that prey on the animal, according to The Guardian.

Marine animals like leopard seals seem to prey on sharks rather than just scavenge their discarded carcasses, according to the research lead by Krista van der Linde, who is the director of LeopardSeals.Org.

"We were blown away to find that sharks were on the menu," Van der Linde said. 

But then scientists discovered that leopard seals were also preying on elephant fish and ghost sharks.

This kind of fish has huge spines that aid in their defense against predators, and the leopard seals were found with wounds and even massive spines implanted in their faces. According to a report, the leopard seal had at least 14 of these injuries.

Also Read: Experts Reveal Most Great White Shark Attacks on Humans are Cases of 'Mistaken Identity'

Why are the Seals Targeting Sharks?

Due to how dangerous shark hunting is, Van der Linde is baffled as to why seals are pursuing them. When it comes to sharks, there may be something about their nutritional value that attracts [the seals].

Van der Linde and orca specialist Ingrid Visser founded Leopardseals.org to better conserve, educate, and study leopard seals. In an effort to better understand the leopard seal, researchers and volunteers have amassed the world's biggest collection of their scat, which they collect along the coast.

One year later, a USB stick was discovered in a frozen scat sample that had been in storage for one year.

In addition to their reputation as apex predators that feed on penguins and other seals, leopard seals have recently been shown to be capable of shark hunting for the first time.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Arrival of Leopard Seals on New Zealand's Shores 

The leopard seals that came to the shores of New Zealand are originally from Antarctica. Researchers are making attempt to determine whether this is a new event, or if more often reported sightings create the impression that there are more.

In light of the current diet studies, Van der Linde wonders whether the seals' migration to New Zealand is due to a more varied diet or if climate change is hurting food supplies in the south of the country.

Leopard seals have been seen to eat sharks in the past, but experts are still attempting to figure out whether this is a new behavior. This suggests that leopard seals are opportunistic predators visiting New Zealand to feed on everything they can get their paws on.

Van der Linde said that it is very uncommon to witness predators consuming other predators, which might have a significant impact on the food chain.

Simply seeing a top predator prey on another top predator is fascinating. The impact on shark populations of growing leopard seal numbers is something scientists are unsure about at this time.

Related Article: Antarctic Leopard Seals Switch Diet to Survive

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