Deadly shark attack in the Atlantic – why scientists are baffled

The carcass of a rare La Plata dolphin was found on the coast of Brazil with bite marks. Scientists determined that the animal was attacked by a great white shark measuring 3.6–3.8 meters in length. This is the first documented case of a white shark hunting this species of dolphin, indicating a new threat to a population on the brink of extinction.

The carcass of a rare La Plata dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei), known as the "ghost dolphin," washed ashore on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. Experts found three tooth marks on the body, the last of which proved fatal. By comparing the size, morphology, and location of the wounds, scientists concluded that the dolphin was attacked by a great white shark measuring 3.6 to 3.8 meters in length and weighing 400–490 kilograms. White sharks are extremely rare in the coastal waters of Brazil, and cases of them hunting La Plata dolphins have never been recorded before. This incident is the first confirmed evidence of such an interaction. The discovery confirms the presence of large white sharks in the region and points to a new hidden threat to the population of rare dolphins, which are on the verge of extinction. The results of the scientific analysis were published in IFLScience.