Does a whale eat a shark?

Quick Answer

Yes, whales do eat sharks, but this behavior is almost exclusively limited to toothed whales, specifically the Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) and, to a lesser extent, the Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus).

The Killer Whale is the ocean’s apex predator and is the only cetacean known to systematically hunt large sharks, including the Great White Shark. These predation events are often surgical; Orcas have been observed coordinating attacks to flip sharks upside down—inducing a state called tonic immobility—before precisely removing and consuming the shark’s lipid-rich liver, leaving the rest of the carcass behind.

While the Killer Whale is a deliberate shark hunter, the Sperm Whale is an opportunistic feeder that may consume smaller deep-sea sharks while hunting for squid in the mesopelagic zone. In contrast, baleen whales, such as the Blue Whale, are filter feeders with narrow throats and do not eat sharks.

For a broader look at cetacean nutrition, you can explore our guide on whale diet.

In-Depth Explanation

To understand the dynamic between whales and sharks, we must look beyond the general classification of “whales” and examine specific species and ecotypes. The interaction between these two groups of marine megafauna ranges from indifference to violent predation.

The Apex Predator: Killer Whales vs. Great White Sharks

The most famous and dramatic instance of whales eating sharks involves the Killer Whale. Despite their name, Killer Whales are technically the largest members of the dolphin family, but they are treated as whales in most ecological contexts. They are the only predators known to displace Great White Sharks from the top of the food chain.

Research in South Africa (specifically around Mossel Bay and Gansbaai) and off the coast of California (the Farallon Islands) has documented Orcas targeting Great Whites. The primary motivation for these attacks appears to be the shark’s liver.

• Why the Liver? A shark’s liver is massive, often accounting for 25% to 30% of its total body weight. Unlike mammals, sharks do not have swim bladders for buoyancy; instead, they rely on large, oily livers rich in squalene. This substance is incredibly energy-dense. When Orcas kill a shark, they often discard the muscle and cartilage, which can be tough and wear down their teeth, to feast exclusively on the high-calorie liver.

Scientific observations have noted that when Orcas begin hunting in an area, Great White Sharks will often flee the region immediately and may not return for months or even years. This phenomenon demonstrates the “landscape of fear” effect, where the mere presence of a higher-order predator alters the behavior of another predator.

The “Offshore” Ecotype: Specialized Shark Eaters

In the North Pacific, scientists classify Killer Whales into different “ecotypes” based on their diet and culture. While “Resident” Orcas eat salmon and “Transient” (or Bigg’s) Orcas eat marine mammals, the lesser-known “Offshore” ecotype specializes in eating sharks.

• Dietary Specifics: Offshore Orcas have been documented feeding on Pacific Sleeper Sharks, Blue Sharks, and Spiny Dogfish.
• Dental Wear: Consuming sharks comes at a physical cost. Shark skin is covered in dermal denticles—essentially tiny teeth—that act like sandpaper. Necropsies of Offshore Orcas often reveal teeth that have been worn down to the gums, a direct result of a lifetime spent chewing through rough shark skin.

For more on what sustains these apex predators, read our FAQ: what do killer whales eat.

Sperm Whales and Deep-Sea Sharks

The Sperm Whale is the largest toothed predator on Earth. While they are famous for their battles with Giant Squid, their diet is quite varied. Sperm whales hunt in the deep ocean (bathypelagic zones), where they encounter various deep-sea shark species.

Stomach content analysis of Sperm Whales has revealed the remains of deep-sea sharks such as the Megamouth Shark, Sleeper Sharks, and various species of dogfish. Unlike Orcas, which may hunt sharks cooperatively and surgically, Sperm Whales likely ingest these sharks whole or in large chunks using suction feeding mechanics. This consumption is considered less of a specialized hunting strategy and more of an opportunistic behavior—if a Sperm Whale encounters a shark while hunting squid, it may eat it.

Why Baleen Whales Do Not Eat Sharks

It is a common misconception that the largest whales, such as the Blue Whale or Humpback Whale, might eat sharks due to their sheer size. However, this is anatomically impossible.

Baleen whales belong to the parvorder Mysticeti. They lack teeth and instead possess baleen plates made of keratin to filter feed.

1. Throat Size: Despite being the largest animal to ever live, a Blue Whale has an esophagus (throat) only about 4 to 8 inches (10-20 cm) in diameter. It physically cannot swallow anything larger than a cantaloupe or a grapefruit.
2. Feeding Mechanism: Baleen whales gulp massive amounts of water containing krill or small schooling fish. If a shark were accidentally engulfed, the whale would likely spit it out, as it cannot pass through the esophagus.

If you are curious about the filter-feeding giants, you might ask what do blue whales eat.

Key Comparisons

The dietary relationship between whales and sharks varies drastically by species. Below is a comparison of how different cetaceans interact with sharks.

Whale Species	Primary Diet	Shark Interaction	Feeding Strategy
Killer Whale (Offshore Ecotype)	Sharks, Bony Fish	Primary Food Source. Actively hunts schooling and deep-water sharks.	Cooperative hunting; bites and tears prey. Teeth often worn down by shark skin.
Killer Whale (General/Transient)	Marine Mammals	Specialized Hunter. Targets Great White Sharks for livers.	Surgical removal of organs; induces tonic immobility.
Sperm Whale	Squid (Cephalopods)	Opportunistic. Eats small deep-sea sharks if encountered.	Suction feeding in deep waters; swallows prey whole or in chunks.
Blue Whale	Krill (Zooplankton)	None. Physically incapable of swallowing a shark.	Filter feeding; expels water through baleen plates.
Whale Shark	Plankton	None. (Note: This is a shark, not a whale).	Filter feeding shark; often confused with whales due to size.

Physiological Tools for Predation

• Toothed Whales (Odontocetes): Species like the Pilot Whale and Orca have conical teeth designed to grasp slippery prey. This allows them to handle sharks, which are muscular and agile. The Orca’s intelligence allows it to exploit the shark’s biological weaknesses, such as tonic immobility.
• Baleen Whales (Mysticetes): Whales like the Fin Whale have baleen plates that act as a sieve. Their evolution has steered them away from large prey entirely, focusing instead on the biomass of plankton swarms.

Confusion with the Whale Shark

It is important to address a common point of confusion: the Whale Shark. Despite its name, the Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) is not a whale; it is the world’s largest shark. It does not eat other sharks; like the baleen whales, it is a filter feeder that consumes plankton. For clarification, see what do whale sharks eat.

Related Questions

Do sharks eat whales?

Yes, but usually not healthy adult whales. Large sharks, such as Great Whites and Tiger Sharks, are known to scavenge on floating whale carcasses (a phenomenon known as a “whale fall” before it sinks). Additionally, sharks often prey on whale calves or sick and injured adults. There are documented attacks by Great White Sharks on Humpback Whale calves and Right Whale calves.

What do whales eat generally?

The diet of a whale depends entirely on whether it is a toothed whale or a baleen whale. Baleen whales consume zooplankton (krill) and small schooling fish like herring. Toothed whales hunt larger prey, including squid, octopus, fish, and in the case of Orcas, other marine mammals. For a full breakdown, visit what do whales eat.

Do whales eat people?

No. There is no historical record of a whale eating a human. Baleen whales cannot swallow a human, and toothed whales like Sperm Whales and Orcas generally show no interest in humans as food. While Orcas are powerful predators, wild Orcas have never fatally attacked a human. For more details on this topic, see do whales eat people.

Do whales eat giant squid?

Yes. This is the primary diet of the Sperm Whale. They dive to depths of over 3,000 feet to hunt giant squid. These battles leave scars on the whales’ heads from the squid’s serrated suction cups. You can learn more about this deep-sea rivalry in our article on Sperm Whale behavior.