The carcass of a great white shark has caused mystery in Australia, after it washed up on a beach appearing to have been the victim of a vicious attack.

The fish, which was approximately three meters in length, washed up on the shore in Portland, Victoria, on 17 October, with the middle section of its body completely ripped apart.

Having caused intrigue among locals, fisherman and bait shop manager, Ben Johnstone, told Sky News that he was “pretty certain” the marine predator had been attacked by a killer whale.

“First off I thought it was pretty cool,” he said, having gone searching for the carcass after receiving a tip off about its location.

Both great white sharks and killer whales are apex predators, meaning they sit at the top of their respective food chains, according to the National History Museum.

But competing for similar prey, the species can “come into conflict when they cross paths,” the museum’s website reads.

In one instance in the US in the 1990s, a killer whale was observed stunning a shark by ramming into it, turning it upside down and bringing it to the surface of the ocean to suffocate it.

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It was then observed eating the shark’s liver, which is rich in fats and oils that help the fish maintain its buoyancy.

More recent attacks in South Africa have also shown killer whales to selectively remove the liver, and sometimes heart of their prey.

Mr Johnstone said it was the first time anything like this has happened in the Portland area of Australia.

Following the carcass washing up on the shore, Mr Johnstone said he thought it was collected by scientists from Melbourne, apparently for further testing.

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