A divemaster in Mauritius has shared the moment a pod of sperm whales got between him and an inquisitive oceanic whitetip shark.
“How two sperm whales protected me and attacked a very curious oceanic whitetip shark,” says Benoit Girodeau – aka Natty Gong – while sharing the footage on Instagram.
The video shows the shark starting to approach the diver before it is blocked by a sperm whale. The huge whale then follows the shark as it swims away.
“The sperm whale wouldn’t let go and kept chasing the shark,” says Girodeau in the video. “I was well guarded.”
Although some might see this as an example of sharks posing a danger to humans in the water, some conservationists see this video simply as an amazing interaction between three species.
“Why do we need heroes and villains in nature?” says Luke McMillan, Head of Hunting and Captivity at Whale and Dolphin Conservation who takes issue with the idea that this is a so-called 'bloodthirsty killer' shark.”
“Sharks aren’t villains,” he says. “They are apex predators, playing a critical role in maintaining ocean health. They regulate populations, prevent overgrazing, and even help combat climate change. Their mere presence keeps ecosystems balanced; without them, coral reefs collapse, seagrass meadows shrink and entire food chains unravel.”
Yet, 100 million sharks are killed by humans each year.
“This video shouldn’t be framed as a battle of good versus evil, it’s just three species in the ocean together. That's it!” says McMillan. “If anything, the real threat isn’t the shark, it’s us.”
Image and video credit: Benoit Girodeau (Natty Gong)
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