Awesome display as airborne Great White targets 'seal' for lunch... and loses a tooth as it mercilessly chomps down on its prey
Amazing images taken in the waters around Seal Island near Cape Town, South Africa
By Graham Smith
This is the astonishing moment a Great White shark jumps out of the sea to catch its prey - and loses a tooth in the process.
Nature's ultimate killing machine thought it was about to enjoy a Cape fur seal for lunch, but instead chomped into a decoy used by a daredevil photographer patiently wanting to capture the perfect shot.
Unfortunately for the shark, it chomped down so viciously that one of its teeth broke off and ended up flying through the air.
No mercy: A Great White shark jumps out of the sea to catch its prey - and loses a tooth in the process
Vicious: With his tooth still flying through the air, the shark chomps down to take its prey beneath the waves
The incident was preserved by British photographer Dan Callister, who regularly travels to Seal Island near Cape Town, South Africa.
Speaking shortly before his latest visit, Mr Callister said: 'I’m looking forward to meeting up with some old friends above and below the water.
'Hopefully the sharks will be on top form and I manage to get a usable frame or two, to add to the ongoing project.'
Seal Island is well known for the spectacular way the sharks grab their prey.
Coming up from underneath the waves, the giant fish literally launch themselves out of the water with the seal in their mouth.
Jaws: The shark bit into a decoy seal used by a daredevil photographer patiently wanting to capture the perfect shot
Up close: British photographer Dan Callister, who regularly travels to Seal Island near Cape Town, took these images
Hungry: Seal Island is well known for the spectacular way the sharks grab their prey
The area where the sharks circle the island is known by locals as the 'Ring Of Death'.
If the seals enter this circle on the sea surface instead of in the murky water near the bed, they are almost certain to be picked off by a speedy and aggressive Great White.
Great whites come to the island to feed on the 65,000 cape fur seals that live there.
When the seals leave the island to go out to sea to feed they gather at a shallow reef just off the island nicknamed the launch-pad. They stay in a groups making it hard for a shark to target an individual.
However, the sharks cruise along the seabed at the edge of the island where shallows drops off into deeper water. Targeting lone stragglers or seals returning from a feed alone, great whites come from below at great speed.
Often the impact takes both the shark and seal airborne.
Success: Coming up from underneath the waves, the giant fish literally launch themselves out of the water with the seal in their mouth
Predator: The area where the sharks circle Seal Island is known by locals as the 'Ring Of Death' for seals
Feeding frenzyL Great whites come to the island to eat some of the 65,000 cape fur seals that live there作者: vandas 時間: 2012-7-24 01:29 PM
