In recent times, southern African safari travelers to Gansbaai in Cape Town have occasionally been disappointed to find that shark cage diving isn’t quite what it used to be. The thrill of this exhilarating activity has been dampened to some extent by the absence of numerous sharks in the area.
Shark cage diving operators have reported a distinct lack of great whites in the area since mid-2017, although the occasional specimen is still spotted by lucky enthusiasts. It appears that sinister forces are at work, driving the sharks from their usual splashing grounds.
Where did the sharks go?
It’s hard to imagine that great white sharks would be fearful of anything. Yet, in the last year, the Cape Town shark population has been under threat from a larger predator – the orcas of the Atlantic Ocean.
Orcas are famous for their habit of ganging up on sharks and killing them. They are the only known predator of the great white and have earned themselves the name “Wolves of the Sea”. While sharks certainly are at the top of the ocean food chain, a lone shark is no match for a pair of orcas on a killing spree.
According to findings by the DEA, there are over 700 orcas that frequent the oceans around South Africa and their numbers are increasing. Now these apex predators have turned their attentions to Cape Town’s great white shark population.
This situation first came to light when the corpse of a great white shark was found dead on a Cape Town beach during February 2017. Tell-tale signs of an orca attack are that the liver of the victim had been eaten. This is a trade mark of the orcas’ feeding habits who target sharks in favor of these large nutritious organs.
They’ll be Back
The good news is that both species are migratory and while orcas tend to congregate where food sources are most plentiful, great whites follow rough seasonal patterns. According to sharkwatch SA great whites are most numerous in the Gansbaai area between June and September.
Organizations such as shark spotters are keeping tabs on the situation. Their research goes a long way towards predicting the movement of these elusive creatures as far as possible.
Don’t give up on your shark-diving aspirations during your southern African safari – you can still get to see the great whites in Gansbaai. While they may not be as numerous as usual, there are still sharks out there. Unless you get in or get out on the water though, you have no chance of spotting these amazing creatures.
Get in touch and we’ll hook you up with the best ocean opportunities.
