A new study challenges long-held beliefs about great white shark disappearances along coastlines. Researchers analyzing over a decade of data found that long absences of these predators can occur naturally, without orca predation being the cause.

For years, scientists assumed that when great whites vanished from gathering sites, killer whales were responsible. The 2015 Neptune Islands incident, where sharks disappeared for two months after an apparent orca attack, reinforced this theory. However, the recent research published in Wildlife Research reveals a different story.

The study documented six long absences over 12 years, with only one coinciding with killer whale presence. This finding suggests that environmental cues and chemical signals released by dead sharks may trigger short-term departures. The longest absence recorded actually occurred without any known killer whale activity, indicating these disappearances might be part of natural behavioral patterns rather than predator-driven responses.