How do great white sharks resolve conflicts over food resources when aggregating, utilizing a specific form of body language?
The most common resolution is a tail splash fight, where the most tenacious splasher wins
Despite their reputation as solitary hunters, great whites engage in social interactions when aggregating at rich feeding grounds, using body language to maintain order and minimize dangerous physical altercations. To establish a dominance hierarchy based on size, researchers have observed non-aggressive interactions like swimming parallel or in circles. However, when a direct conflict over food arises, the common method of resolution is a tail splash fight. In this display, one shark whips its tail forcefully against the water surface, splashing the competitor. The shark demonstrating greater tenacity or superior splashing control is generally deemed the winner of the resource dispute.
