Science

Great White Shark Feeds on Dead Seal While Family Films it From Their Boat

Shark seal family film

Image source: YouTube

A Rhode Island family got an eyeful during a boating expedition on Wednesday when they spotted a great white shark snacking on a seal carcass.

Peter Mottur of Portsmouth, R.I. was with his wife, two children and mother on their boat off the south tip of Monomoy Island near Chatham, Mass. when they found themselves privy to the great white’s mealtime, according to the Huffington Post.

Mottur said they first saw the shark just a few hundred feet from the beach and maneuvered the boat for a closer look. That’s when they saw the shark was occupied: swimming around a dead seal floating in the bay…then moving in to devour it. The family whipped out their cameras and captured the great white in action. Scroll for video.

“My kids were excited and terrified at the same time,” Mottur told the Huffington Post. “They have watched Jaws with me several times, but they knew this was the real deal.”

Mottur estimated the shark was easily 15 feet long and observed some sort of tag on it. In the video, a child‘s voice calls out warningly as the shark’s full size reveals itself: “Dad, dad, dad!”

“He’s fine,” Mottur responds.

“It’s massive! Dad he’s under the boat!”

“It’s fine,” Mottur reassures again.

Shark seal family film

Image source: YouTube

The seal’s carcass was not so lucky: the surrounding water quickly ran red as the shark thrashed and ate it over a 10-minute span.

Mottur told the Huffington Post that after the encounter he contacted Dr. Greg Skomal, a shark biologist and head of the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. Skomal said the tag Mottur spotted was likely an acoustic tag to transmit data about the shark’s movements.

“Skomal was very excited about the images and footage and this is apparently very rare to capture in this area,” Mottur said.

Video below — content warning — images may be disturbing for some:

(h/t Huffington Post)

Comments (62)

1 2
  • R.A. Bullseye
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 9:36pm

    Did the shark check with Michelle Obama before he ate the seal? How about PETA?

    Report Post »  
  • R.A. Bullseye
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 9:27pm

    I‘m glad I’m not a seal.

    Report Post »  
  • rogerover12
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:40pm

    Who the hell reted this as disturbing. Have you ever seen wasserman schultz speak. Piranha 4 d

    Report Post »  
  • TommyJH54
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:32pm

    I know exactly how that shark felt. I sat at a window seat at the Mayflower Restaurant in P-Town Mass several years ago eating my meal. When I looked up, there was a fairly large woman dressed in black eating a vanilla ice cream cone watching me eat my meal. I pointed to my plate then to her as if to offer her my meal. She laughed, mouth wide open, for all to see the large wad of vanilla ice cream in her mouth. I’ll never forget it. Animals watching animals!

    Report Post » TommyJH54  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 6:23pm

    “Look, he’s got a tag on him.”

    No, no, no……. that’s not a tag, it’s his Government issued Seal eating permit. : )

    Thank you Cass Sunstein. : (

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • cja23
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 5:19pm

    Hopefully these sickos filming this with children watching weren’t sitting in a small boat just waiting for the shark to come and charge their boat.

    Report Post »  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 5:27pm

      “The children! The children!! The children!!! Won’t somebody please think of the children!” Thank you, Helen Lovejoy.
      I don’t really have the authority to make this claim, but, what the hell, here goes: No children were harmed in the making of this video.
      Child Protective Services will not be needed, but thanks for asking.

      Report Post »  
    • drininger
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 5:46pm

      Heaven forbid we watch an an act of nature! Hopefully the kids were wearing helmets, goggles,knee pads, elbow pads, safety straps, and bubble wrap to shield them from this horrible sight.

      Report Post » drininger  
    • drininger
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 5:47pm

      God forbid the children watch nature in action!!

      Report Post » drininger  
    • wordweaver
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 9:40pm

      Just the circle of life playing out before their eyes. Nothing sick about it. Sick would be taking them to a **** fight or dog fight. Looks like they just happened into this.

      Report Post » wordweaver  
    • sndrman
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:13pm

      Darininger nature in action giggity giggity ……wish i had a camera way back then,i’d show nature in action……..if confused about giggity see quagmire from family guy show…………

      Report Post »  
  • Salamander
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 4:45pm

    I always remind my crew: don’t ever forget–you’re not at the top of the food-chain out there! So, stay on the boat!

    Report Post »  
  • Tankertony
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:44pm

    Great White = Tea Party
    Seal = Democrat party

    Report Post » Tankertony  
  • Daddymac10
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:53pm

    That seal could easily be you. That‘s why people shouldn’t swim in the ocean…

    Report Post » Daddymac10  
    • rickfromthecape
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 2:25am

      You used to be able to swim off chatham until the seals came (and crapped all over the beaches). I said then that the sharks wont be far behind and we should eliminate the seals, but the tree huggers won again. The seals were protected (they’re so cute!) and the shark attacks are just beginning.

      Report Post » rickfromthecape  
  • Impenitent
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:50pm

    Don’t allow Obama to take the credit for killing Bin Laden and get eaten by a shark…

    oh… different seal…

    Report Post »  
  • Not2old2c
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:19pm

    So, I said to myself , when I saw this headline, “Why in the devil is the Blaze carrying this junk?” And, NO, I didn’t watch the video. Today, a small group of folks sweated all morning, packing, then delivering boxes of clothes to a humble pastor to the homeless for the homeless children who live in Florida’s Ocala Forrest. Nobody took pictures. They did what they have done before, and what needs to be done. The pastor humbly offers comfort to the innocent children. News without a higher purpose is just that….nonsense.

    Report Post »  
    • The Jewish Avenger
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:46pm

      Next time if possible, get some footage.. for thats EXACTLY the reason why I come to this sight to have some hope and poditive church activity is what I need to hear

      The rest is just poking fun and games….

      Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
    • Halloween
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:48pm

      Why is that news worthy? You sound selfish and self serving. Let me break out the trumpets and sound them to draw attention to your deeds and piety.

      Report Post » Halloween  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:53pm

      A vast number of us have recording devices in hand throughout the day. You’re right; you can‘t use such gadgets when you’re doing something meaningful. Wait. Does driving count?
      Can we relegate this to a “special interest” story? No need to blow a gasket. It‘s not every day you come upon a 15’ fish eating another creature.
      Then again, what the hell are you and I doing in this sandbox that matters? Think of it this way: At least it wasn’t another brawl at a restaurant.

      Report Post »  
    • DeniseR55
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:29pm

      Maybe you should be more humble about what you do to help others because if you’re doing it to be praised for it, it doesn’t count because you did it for yourself. The fact that you placed the comment here says a lot about your motives. Sharing this video IS NOT selfish.

      Report Post »  
    • Severe Starboard List
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:40pm

      I see God’s awesome majesty in nature. The idea of a fish that huge humbles me and I stand in awe of my Creator. It is the same feeling I get when I look at the stars and heavens and say who are we Father that you should love us so to give us this most precious gift of Your Son for our salvation? No greater no less than the work of the pastor, just different views of God’s love and majesty.

      Report Post » Severe Starboard List  
  • JustJP
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:12pm

    Seal McMuffin

    Report Post »  
  • P226
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:02pm

    “Slow ahead. I can go slow ahead. Come down here and chum some of this $#!t”

    Report Post »  
    • sillyfreshness
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:18pm

      I keep hearing about how great whites are almost extinct, but they sure seem to show up a lot to be filmed.

      Report Post » sillyfreshness  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:07am

      Egotistical camera-hogs!

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
  • Armyof One
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:43pm

    ………..we’re gonna need a bigger boat.

    Report Post » Armyof One  
  • thegreatcarnac
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:01pm

    Sharks…you can’t live with them………….um…you can‘t live with’em. They will eat you..literally.

    Report Post »  
    • The Jewish Avenger
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:47pm

      Throw in a japanese chef with a couple of ginzus.

      Ta da! Get the rice its sushi time!

      Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:00pm

    …
    Did The Blaze really need to post a story like this?

    Report Post »  
    • Sparhawk
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:01pm

      “Need?” No. “Want”? Apparently yes. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. It’s really that simple. They have the freedom to post it, you have the freedom to move along.

      Report Post »  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:00pm

      Yes. It’s “Expose the Cranks Day”.

      Report Post »  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:06pm

      If you do not want these kind of stories…do not click through to the story. the software counts the click through‘s for the ’relevancy’ . Oh yea you also accomplish the avoidance of said story.

      Report Post » Stoic one  
  • nuclear
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:59am

    “Family Films it”

    Really? They were using film? I suppose the next article will mention that it was, “caught on tape.” Get with the technology, people!

    Report Post »  
    • forthepeople
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:28pm

      I know your far from California ( left coast ) because they ( most all ) refer even today as ‘ Film ’ . When is the last time you heard ‘ Tape at 11 ’ on the news ? Your splitting hairs and I can not believe I’m even responding……. guilty in the mirror . .

      Report Post » forthepeople  
    • Sparhawk
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:16pm

      Talk about nit-picking.
      * Do you still refer to “dialing” phone numbers, although it has been a long time since phones had dials?
      * If you want to repeat a part of a movie that you just watched, which button on your DVD or Blu-Ray player do you press? Rewind? Are you actually winding something up again? “Rewind” means to wind the tape back up onto the beginning spool, like in the days of VHS tapes. Last time I checked, Blu-Ray discs don’t involve tape and spool, but the word is still commonly on the remote.
      * If you have the TV on one channel and want to view a different channel but you don’t have the remote, do you ask someone else to “turn” the channel? How long has it been since rotary channel changers on TV, that you had to “turn” to change the channel?
      * When you end a phone conversation, do you “hang up”? Hang what up on what?

      Face it. Even you still use some words that don’t really make sense in the English language anymore, but we still use them because they were commonplace for so long.

      Report Post »  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:57pm

      Nuclear?
      Get with the times, man. It’s all about “green” now. Sheesh.

      Report Post »  
  • Oneirishman
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:42am

    Dah-da………….Dah-da………..Dah-da………Dah-da…….Dah-da……Dah-da….Dah-da…Dah-da..Dah-da.Dah-da Dah-daDah-daDuh-daDuh-daDuh-daDuh-da, Its a fact when your in a boat around a shark this big, your pretty safe until you hear the music.

    Report Post »  
  • Lee_in_PA
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:34am

    Man… not the top of the food chain in the desert, jungle or on the sea.

    Report Post » Lee_in_PA  
  • valarie
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:28am

    Show me the way to go home.. (hic!)

    Report Post » valarie  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:11am

    That’s real smart to sit there watching a Great White Shark as big as the boat in this day and age with your children.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:31am

      How big was the boat though? If the shark was larger than I can understand there being a threat to all of those onboard, if the boat is much bigger, different story. Its a neat video though.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • BSdetector
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:37am

      Jaws was just a movie, my friend, sharks don’t eat boats…

      Report Post » BSdetector  
    • 1me2ao
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:46pm

      it is a boat and not a kayak, it is part of being in ocean.

      Report Post »  
  • Dr. Sax
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:57am

    Here‘s to swimmin’ with bow-legged women!

    Report Post »  
    • bigdaddyt46
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 3:06am

      and swim between their legs, and swim between their legs. :D

      Report Post » bigdaddyt46  
  • momrules
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:44am

    Sharks……..beautiful, efficient and to me a least one of the scariest of God’s creatures. I read an accounting of the USS Indianapolis as a girl and for a landlubber like me that cured me of ever wanting to sail the seven seas. Jaws was just icing on the cake.

    Report Post »  
  • TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:35am

    Quint: “I‘m not talkin’ ’bout pleasure boatin‘ or day sailin’. I‘m talkin’ ’bout workin‘ for a livin’. I‘m talkin’ ’bout sharkin’!”

    Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12  
  • salvawhoray
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:29am

    Hooper Drives the boat Chief.

    Report Post » salvawhoray  
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