Scavenging occurs in virtually all food-webs and habitats.

<p>(A) a polar bear (<i>Ursus maritimus</i>) eating flesh from a narwhal whale carcass (<i>Monodon monoceros</i>) (Photo: Jeff W. Higdon/DFO); (B) an Ibiza wall lizard (<i>Podarcis pityusensis</i>) scavenging on fish scraps leftover from another predator (Photo: Nate Dappen/Day’s Edge Productions); (C) a black backed jackal (<i>Canis mesomelas</i>) scavenges on a zebra <i>(Equus quagga)</i> kill (Photo: Chris Fallows); (D) lappet faced vulture (<i>Torgos tracheliotos</i>) and white backed vultures (<i>Gyps africanus</i>) scavenge on an elephant kill (Photo: Chris Fallows); (E) A spotted hyena (<i>Crocuta crocuta</i>) removes flesh from a long-dead ungulate (Photo: Chris Fallows); (F) red weaver ants (<i>Oecophylla smaragdina</i>) gathering to feed on a dead African giant snail (<i>Achatina fulica</i>) (Photo:Narasha Mharte).</p

A comparison of mean shark predations on seals before, during and after the occurrence of a whale carcass at Seal Island.

<p>Data examined before and after were collected over a two week period. Data were pooled across whales (#1, #2, #4). Predation data (mean±SE) were not collected nor analyzed for the period following the occurrence of whale #4. Differences in lower case letters denote statistical differences (p<0.05). Numbers in parentheses indicate number of observational days. Error bars represent 1 standard error.</p

Examples of selective, facultative scavenging by white sharks on various whale carcasses in South Africa.

<p>(A) 4 m white shark removing and consuming a near-term fetus from a Bryde’s whale carcass; (B) white shark scavenging on caudal peduncle and fluke of a Bryde’s whale; (C) impression of a white shark bite on whale carcass through dermal, subcutaneous and blubber layer; (D) a white shark removing blubber around the jaw of a southern right whale carcass.</p

White sharks scavenging from two species of whales based on four separate accounts in False Bay, South Africa.

<p>White sharks scavenging from two species of whales based on four separate accounts in False Bay, South Africa.</p

Activation and regulation of community-wide consumer food-web catalyzed via pulse of a whale carcass in False Bay, South Africa.

<p>Diagram showing range of scavengers on a whale carcass at the surface (above dotted line) and when the carcass sinks to the seafloor (bottom dotted line) following removal of blubber by white sharks.</p

Examples of unique behaviors employed by white sharks during scavenging forays on whale carcasses in False Bay, South Africa.

<p>(A–B) A 4.5 m white shark removes a 20 kg chunk of flesh, sinew and blubber by performing lateral headshakes without employing protective ocular rotation.</p

Model diagnostics for generalized linear models for Poisson distributed data modeling shark occurrence during whale carcass scavenging forays.

<p>Days the carcass spent floating (day), observational effort (effort) sea surface temperature (SST), whale carcass species (whale type), and windspeed (windspeed) were included in the models. The best 5 models are shown, all others had ΔAIC values >2.5. Predictor variables with significant (p<0.05) effects on shark occurrence are indicated with an asterisk.</p>*<p>p<0.05;</p>**<p>p<0.01;</p>***<p>p<0.001.</p

Summary results of the best model the using Poisson regression in Table 2 to examine effects of biological and environmental variables on shark occurrence during scavenging forays on the two whale carcasses.

<p>Summary results of the best model the using Poisson regression in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0060797#pone-0060797-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a> to examine effects of biological and environmental variables on shark occurrence during scavenging forays on the two whale carcasses.</p

Regression of wind speed and maximum shark size observed at all scavenging events in the present study.

<p>Regression of wind speed and maximum shark size observed at all scavenging events in the present study.</p

Representative example of four different bull shark tracks overlain on regional bathymetry.

<p>Red dots indicate the Argos locations, the white line is the 1-minute Bezier interpolated track, and the blue plus symbols are the 12-hour positions. The yellow dot is the tagging location. The depth is scaled from 0 to 100 m as indicated by the color bar. Major geographic locations are labeled in Fig. 1.</p