AN INCREDIBLE video captured the world's toughest great white shark covered in scars and bite marks after a turbulent journey to safe waters.
The huge predator showed off its battle scars while swimming in a notorious orca hunting ground in Struisbaai, South Africa – and scientists think they know why.
The extraordinary clip shows the wounded shark with lacerations as it passed an underwater camera planted by researchers.
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Instituto Oceanográfico de Moçambique, who captured the impressive footage, believe it matches the same creature that previously passed the spot in May 2022.
Scientists believe that this shark had travelled 1,100 miles along the African coast – running a gauntlet through notorious killer whale hunting ground.
They were able to match the shark to previous records based on its distinct facial scars and matching fin coloration.
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Struisbaai is located on the Western Cape of South Africa and is home to stretch of coast that has seen several gruesome orca attacks on great white sharks in recent times.
As a result, several carcasses are said to have popped on shores with evidence they may have been feasted upon by orcas for the purpose of consuming their organs – such as their liver.
Scientists have consistently argued that many have been lured away from previously popular hotspots due to killer whale predation.
But Rhett Bennett, principal investigator on the survey project in Mozambique, believes the that the scars on this beasts face were likely caused by another shark.
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"The scars on the shark's face are likely caused by an interaction with another shark, or during a predation attempt, perhaps on a seal," he told Newsweek.
"It is common among apex predators, such as white sharks and lions, to have facial scars like these. They often remain evident for long periods, allowing the animals to be individually identified."
According to experts, great White sharks are notoriously elusive creatures meaning it is difficult to track their movements.
But new technology such as camera traps have allowed experts to learn more and more about the species movements and the threats they face.
Alison Towner, the principal investigator on the white shark tagging study in South Africa said in a press release: "This important ID match and confirmation of transboundary movement has come at a time that the Southern African white shark population is facing the additional threat of orca predation on top of other anthropogenic threats such as shark nets.
“It's a great example of collaboration between different research platforms.”
The coasts of South Africa are among the most popular great white sharks hotspots with an estimated ninety-eight species.
And it appears that more and more unsuspecting swimmers are running into sharks prowling the waters.
DEADLY ATTACKS
Only last month, a 39-year-old woman was killed after a fatal shark attack near Plettenberg Bay on the country’s southern coast.
The swimmer, who believed to be visiting from Cape Town, was taking an early-morning dip in shallow waters to celebrate a Bank Holiday weekend when she was attacked.
In a sudden move, the deadly predator came in fast from deep water and grabbed her in its jaws in front of terrified fellow swimmers.
The woman, who was on the edge of the group, let out a scream as the shark bit into her flesh and dragged her underwater.
Her blood-soaked body was discovered around 50 feet from the shore – making it second fatality in just a matters of months.
At the time, the NCRI and Bitou Municipality both issued a warning to swimmers due to increasing shark activity from the animals feeding on humpback whale carcasses washing ashore.
In total South Africa has seen 37 fatal shark attacks in the past 25 years, with the numbers also increasing across the globe.
A South African shark expert, who asked not to be named, said: "You have to remember the ocean has always been the territory of the shark – they rule.
"There are more and more people in the water these days what with surfing and paddle boarding and swimming and the sharks are always never very far away.
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"But they are not seeking out humans and attacks are rare and usually not intended as they mistake humans for prey but the results are often fatal.
"You have 47 times more chance of being killed by lightning or 11 times more chance of being killed by fireworks than being killed by a shark. Wrong place wrong time," he said.
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