This awe-inspiring footage shows a shark being eaten alive by a group of killer whales which then passes it to two calves.
The sevengill shark can be seen squirming in the orca's mouth before going still during the encounter in Monterey Bay, California.
The three killer whales were part of a larger group made up of 25 individuals who soon swarmed on the carcass.
The crystal clear footage was captured by wildlife photographer Slater Moore using a drone while he was giving a tour with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.
The footage was then posted on Facebook.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.The whales are seen capturing the adult shark which writhes in pain as it tries to escape.
The gang wear the shark down and take opportunistic bites at its fins, flipping the shark on to its back in the process.
Marine expert Mary Jane Schramm said the orca deliberately turned the shark upside-down in its mouth to paralyse it .
'They flip them over on their backs and all of a sudden they slip into what's called tonic immobility,' she told KTVU.
'Some animals if they're attacked by a predator, instead of fleeing or fighting, they simply become still.'
The whales then try and drown the shark by dragging it deep beneath the waves to prevent it from swimming.
'It is very likely that some of these whales have only been sighted a few times or haven't been identified at all.' The company wrote in the video's comment section on their Facebook page, 'we may go five years between sightings.'
