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Great white sharks are one of the ocean's most formidable killers. But, in a shocking turn of events, a group of Cape fur seals banded together to drive off the prowling predator.
The tense moment was captured by documentary makers for the final series of the BBC's smash hit Planet Earth trilogy, narrated by David Attenborough.
The scene was shot at the Robberg peninsula, which sits in the Indian Ocean off the coast of South Africa. The clip shows a group of young seals diving into the ocean in search of fish. But every dive is dangerous for these vulnerable creatures as great white sharks begin to congregate around the site.
Usually great white sharks are solitary hunters, but over the years this site has driven them to gather by the dozen.
Great white sharks are the world's largest predatory fish, growing up to 21 feet in length and weighing up to 4,500 pounds, according to National Geographic. Their streamlined bodies and powerful tailfins allow these fish to bolt through the water at speeds approaching 35 miles per hour, delivering a bite force of up to 1.8 metric tons.
Cape fur seals with their fatty blubber are an appetizing snack for these ferocious fish, providing enough energy to last for days, or even weeks, on end. And they seem like an easy target. But not for long.
As the sharks begin to circle, the adult seals turn towards them and team together, rallying more seals to mob together and eventually chase off the swarming sharks.
Capturing moments like this on camera is no easy feat, and the production team were right in the line of fire. "Before we began filming for Planet Earth III, despite my years of training and experience, I found the prospect of diving with great white sharks daunting, terrifying even," Justin Blake, a marine biologist from South Africa who joined the Planet Earth III crew for this scene, said in a perspective piece for the BBC. "I must have spent at least a month building the mental courage and fortitude in the lead up to the first shoot."
Blake's role was to shadow the camera operator and watch out for sharks, boats and dangerous waves. "I am no longer terrified of great white sharks," Blake said. "I'm simply in awe of them. And I'm actively working to understand and conserve them. These animals are sensitive, perfectly adapted to their watery home, and certainly not the indiscriminate man eaters we once considered them to be. They deserve our respect and, critically, our understanding."
Planet Earth III will premiere on BBC America on Saturday November 4.
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About the writer
Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more