Researchers wanted to study lobsters eating sea urchins. But sharks ate their lunch — video

In a surprising twist, a recent study intended to investigate the role lobsters play in regulating sea urchin populations has uncovered that sharks are actually the leading predators. Jeremy Day, a marine ecologist from the University of Newcastle, spearheaded this research, which involved tethering 50 long-spined and 50 short-spined sea urchins near a lobster den on the southern coast of New South Wales (NSW).

Over the course of 25 nights, the findings were astonishing: sharks consumed 45 of the sea urchins, while lobsters could only manage to eat four. While sea urchins are native to NSW, they have become a major issue in Tasmania, threatening local ecosystems.

This unexpected discovery highlights the intricate interactions within marine ecosystems and underscores the importance of understanding predator-prey dynamics in these environments.