Maine resident captures nature in action in N.B. as shark snacks on whale carcass
Paul Keller was sitting on the back porch of his rented cottage by the Bay of Fundy, sipping his morning coffee, when he spotted some commotion in the water. Perhaps the splash of a flipper, he figured, or something washing up against a rock.
Through his binoculars he realized he had spotted a rare scene of ocean carnage -- a great white shark feeding on a whale carcass.
"That was kind of an odd, strange sensation to see," said the bi-vocational pastor, who lives in China, Maine.
"At first I thought it was some sort of flipper or something rubbing against the rock. Then I saw the fin of what became the shark. Then I thought, 'Wow, OK, this is something you don't see every day.' At least I've never seen."
Keller and his wife usually spend at least a week every year in the summer by Campobello Island. This year, they were in New Brunswick from Aug. 26 to 31.
The morbid Monday morning scene about 7 1/2 metres from the shore showed the shark taking bites out of the whale and eating it.
"The whale's intestine was kind of hanging out," he said. "It was surreal."
The 22-second video filmed by Keller shows a black-and-white shark head chomping on a brownish mass in the splashing waters.
Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark, a veterinarian at Dalhousie University who saw the video, said he would identify the animal as a great white shark by its head shape, mouth size and position, eye position, colour and its overall size.
"The Fundy region is noted for this species' seasonal presence," he said.
The shark is likely feeding on a minke whale or a humpback whale or a North Atlantic right whale, he said. The size of the carcass looks too big to be a pilot whale, he added.
Past studies have shown that great white sharks will stay in the vicinity of such a carcass and feed for days, Harvey-Clark said.
"That begs the question: what do sharks enjoy? I think they certainly like a very fatty, high-energy density, blubber-rich food source like a whale carcass. It's a floating all-you-can-eat buffet," he said.
"It's the ultimate free meal. No need to hunt, capture prey with risks to eyes and other body parts from fractious seals. You can feed when you want to."
While it was a "cool sight," Keller said the episode was more of a human interaction story, which he shared with others, making friends and connections.
"Another young man an aeronautical engineer who I met on the ferry, said, 'Well, that video should go viral." I don't even really know what that means," he said, describing one interaction with a laugh.
"I think more than anything, once we see something and we're able to share it with others and that interaction back and forth and 'Wow, isn't that neat?' You know, great moments are meant to be shared. So I'm grateful for that."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2023.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.