The post Watch Hundreds of Sharks Surround a Boat and Ignite a Feeding Frenzy appeared first on A-Z Animals.
Watch the Video
Click here to watch on YouTubeSharks can be terrifying enough on their own, but imagine being surrounded by dozens of them when they begin to feed. Like something out of a nightmare, the sharks in this video from NowThisImpact’s YouTube channel suddenly explode into a feisty feeding frenzy. But what triggers this sudden burst of aggression? What exactly causes sharks to go into such a feeding frenzy?
What Is a Feeding Frenzy?
Sharks typically eat sea mammals, fish, turtles, and sea birds.
©melissaf84/Shutterstock.com
Feeding frenzies can happen among many animal species, but sharks and piranhas are some of the most well-known examples. A feeding frenzy occurs when a group of predators — in this case, a group of sharks — compete aggressively for food. The predators swarm the prey or resource and try to consume as much as possible before it’s gone.
This is similar to when a group of humans breaks open a piñata. When the piñata bursts open, everyone chaotically rushes to grab their share before the candy is all gone. Essentially, a feeding frenzy is a rapid competition for the same limited resource. Just like children may accidentally push one another over in their rush to reach the piñata’s candy, sharks can also become so hyper-focused on getting good that they unintentionally bite other sharks near them.
What Causes a Feeding Frenzy?
Sharks have electroreceptors around their face that detect electrical fields in the water.
©iStock.com/ Ryan Cake
Several things can trigger a shark feeding frenzy. Sharks have unique electroreceptors that help them detect distressed, injured, or bleeding prey animals. As you can imagine, a large group of animals emitting these signals will quickly attract many sharks, which can trigger a frenzy. Although the presence of multiple sharks doesn’t always result in a feeding frenzy, it certainly will intensify the situation.
However, even healthy and relaxed prey animals in large groups can trigger a frenzy. The sheer amount of available food, such as a massive school of fish, a group of young seals, or a whale carcass, can spark a feeding frenzy. Sharks are opportunistic eaters who can go several weeks without food — so, when large quantities of food are available, they quickly and aggressively take advantage of the opportunity.
What Types of Creatures Cause Sharks to Go Into a Feeding Frenzy?
Most researchers assert that feeding frenzies are not super common.
©Maui Topical Images/Shutterstock.com
Large schools of fish, like mackerel, sardines, tuna, and herring, are common triggers for shark feeding frenzies. An injured or dying whale, a seal, or even a single fish can also spark a feeding frenzy. As seen in the video above, feeding frenzies often occur near fishing boats, where fish being reeled in struggle and put out distress signals that attract sharks.
The post Watch Hundreds of Sharks Surround a Boat and Ignite a Feeding Frenzy appeared first on A-Z Animals.
February 28, 2025 at 02:30PMKellianne Matthews.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 Comments