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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Yes—video documents orcas flipping juvenile great white sharks and feeding on their energy-rich livers in Mexico’s Gulf of California. A 2025 study reports three attacks across two observed hunts by the Moctezuma pod; researchers suggest inversion may induce temporary tonic immobility, but they did not directly measure that response.
The peer-reviewed report describes the first reported interactions between killer whales and juvenile white sharks in Mexican waters. It documents a local behavior by one identified group, not a worldwide hunting pattern.
Key takeaways
- The prey were juvenile white sharks estimated at approximately 2 metres long, not confirmed large adults.
- The study documents three attacks across two observed hunts: August 15, 2020, and August 3, 2022.
- The orcas were identified as members of the Moctezuma pod, a Gulf of California group already observed hunting sharks and rays.
- Researchers interpret the inversion and handling as a possible way to induce tonic immobility, a temporary cataleptic-like state.
- The footage shows the orcas targeting and sharing liver tissue; it does not establish that liver was the only tissue consumed.
- The study does not establish how often the pod hunts white sharks, whether other groups use the tactic, or why the sharks were selected.
Did orcas really flip a great white shark upside down?
Yes. A peer-reviewed report published in Frontiers in Marine Science on November 3, 2025 documents aerial video of orcas attacking and maneuvering juvenile white sharks. The footage shows inversion and liver feeding; it does not document an attack on a large adult shark.
The paper identifies the prey as Carcharodon carcharias, the species also called the great white shark or white shark. The sharks were estimated at approximately 2 metres in total length. In one sequence, orcas kept a shark inverted and later carried and passed its two-lobed liver. The researchers observed liver feeding in the 2022 encounter as well.
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Where was the orca and great white shark video filmed?
The encounters occurred in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Researchers observed one hunt on August 15, 2020, and another on August 3, 2022. Across those two hunts, the study reports three attacks on juvenile white sharks: two in 2020 and one in 2022.
| Observed hunt | Date | Orcas involved | What researchers documented |
|---|---|---|---|
| First hunt | August 15, 2020 | Five female orcas | Orcas pursued and manipulated two juvenile white sharks; footage shows inversion and liver handling. |
| Second hunt | August 3, 2022 | About five orcas, including an adult male, a female, subadults, and a calf | Orcas handled another juvenile shark; researchers observed exposed liver tissue and feeding on liver pieces. |
Researchers photo-identified the whales as members of the Moctezuma pod, named for its distinctive adult male. The group had previously been observed hunting sharks and rays. The study does not establish the pod’s ecotype or show that it regularly hunts white sharks.
Why do orcas flip great white sharks?
The researchers interpret repeated turning and handling as an attempt to induce tonic immobility, a temporary cataleptic-like state that can make a shark easier to manipulate and reduce the risk of bites. This is a proposed explanation, not a physiological response directly measured in these encounters.
Tonic immobility is not permanent paralysis. NOAA Fisheries describes it as a “trance-like state” that can occur when a shark is turned upside down. See NOAA Fisheries’ explanation of shark tonic immobility. In this case, the video shows inversion; the explanation of its effect is an interpretation supported by research on sharks.
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Why do orcas eat great white shark livers?
Shark livers are energy-rich organs. The study reports that the orcas targeted and shared liver tissue, while the rest of the carcasses were discarded after the observed feeding. The footage and report support liver-focused feeding, but do not establish that the liver was the only tissue consumed.
Sharing liver tissue among pod members, including a calf, suggests coordinated feeding. The observations do not determine how much each whale ate or what proportion of each shark’s body was consumed.
What does the Moctezuma orca pod have to do with the attacks?
The Moctezuma pod is the Gulf of California group associated with all three attacks in the report. Researchers identified its members from photographs and observed different age and sex classes participating in the hunts.
The pod had already been observed feeding on sharks and rays, but the authors say its ecotype is unclear. They call for broader surveys and more diet data to learn whether the pod regularly hunts white sharks or takes them when available. The study does not show that all orcas hunt great whites in this way.
Is this the first time orcas have hunted great white sharks?
No. The study describes the first reported interactions between killer whales and juvenile white sharks in Mexican waters, not the first known orca predation on white sharks anywhere. Earlier observations in other regions, including South Africa, had documented such predation.
| Question | What the evidence supports | What remains unknown |
|---|---|---|
| What did researchers directly observe? | Three attacks across two hunts, with video of inversion and liver handling or feeding. | The footage does not establish how often this behavior occurs beyond these observations. |
| What is inferred about inversion? | The authors interpret the handling as an attempt to induce tonic immobility. | The sharks’ physiological response was not directly measured. |
| Did ocean conditions cause the encounters? | The authors discuss possible changes in white-shark distribution and nursery areas associated with oceanographic anomalies such as El Niño and the Blob. | The observations do not prove that ocean conditions caused the attacks. |
| Does the report establish a new orca ecotype? | It identifies a pod previously observed hunting sharks and rays. | The pod’s ecotype is unclear, and the authors call for further research. |
Frontiers’ research-news summary quotes lead author Erick Higuera Rivas: “I believe that orcas that eat elasmobranchs — sharks and rays — could eat a great white shark, if they wanted to, anywhere they went looking for one.” This expresses a biological possibility, not evidence that every orca population regularly does so.
What does the video prove—and what remains unknown?
The report by Higuera-Rivas and colleagues in Frontiers in Marine Science (2025) documents three attacks across two observed hunts involving juvenile white sharks. The dated observations, aerial footage, and photo-identification support the conclusion that this pod attacked the sharks and fed on liver tissue.
The study does not provide a worldwide frequency for orcas flipping white sharks, show that the behavior is common beyond this pod, or establish why the pod selected juveniles. The authors discuss possible shifts in shark distribution and nursery areas associated with oceanographic anomalies, but these are hypotheses rather than demonstrated causes.
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The authors call for broader surveys and more diet data to determine whether the pod regularly hunts white sharks or takes them when available. Further observations would also be needed to assess how widespread this tactic is.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Could orcas use this technique on adult great white sharks?
The observations concern juvenile white sharks estimated at approximately 2 metres in length. The study does not establish that the Moctezuma pod used the same sequence on large adult white sharks.
The authors suggest smaller sharks may be easier to handle and pose less risk, but the footage does not establish why these juveniles were selected. Calling them juveniles is more precise than calling them “baby sharks,” and describing the events as attacks on adult great whites would go beyond the evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did orcas really flip a great white shark upside down?
Yes. A 2025 study documents three attacks on juvenile white sharks across two observed hunts in Mexico’s Gulf of California. The footage shows inversion and liver-focused feeding.
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Can orcas paralyze sharks by flipping them?
The researchers suggest inversion may induce tonic immobility, a temporary cataleptic-like state. They did not directly measure the sharks’ physiological response, and tonic immobility is not permanent paralysis.
Were the great white sharks babies or adults?
The study describes juvenile white sharks estimated at approximately 2 metres long. It does not document attacks on large adults.
Is this the first time orcas have hunted great white sharks?
No. Earlier observations in other regions, including South Africa, had documented orca predation on white sharks. The study reports the first such interactions in Mexican waters and details the Gulf of California pod’s observed behavior.
Did ocean warming cause the attacks?
The authors discuss possible changes in shark distribution and nursery areas associated with oceanographic anomalies, but the study does not prove that these conditions caused the encounters.
The Bottom Line
The video shows a real hunting sequence, but the precise finding is narrower than the headline: members of the Moctezuma pod in Mexico’s Gulf of California attacked juvenile white sharks, inverted them, and fed on liver tissue. Tonic immobility is the researchers’ proposed explanation for inversion, and the study does not show that all orcas hunt adult great whites this way.
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