They circle beneath the dead humpback and sink teeth into it for a quick bite.
Meanwhile, trained marine rangers can be seen approaching the carcass on an inflatable boat.
They towed the carcass away before anchoring it so sharks and other marine animals could feast.
Senior ranger Daniel Clifton said in a statement: “Where there are dead whales, there are likely sharks nearby and this vision clearly shows why this is the case.
“The death of one whale, although sad, creates a life source for many other scavenging animals, including fish, sharks and other marine life.
“We’re fortunate here in the Great Sandy Marine Park that we can experience these natural processes first hand.”
He also warned that people should never touch marine animals as they can carry zoonotic diseases.
If anyone discovers a dead marine carcass, he advised them to “wait for experts to attend and assist”.
It was reported that the humpback carcass was the fifth whale to have died in the waters nearby over the past 14 days.
“The water felt menacing when we sailed across Hervey Bay!” one viewer commented on the video.
Another wrote: “That’s nature at work!”
This article by Tiffany Lo was first published by The Daily Star on 27 June 2023. Lead Image: A drone footage gave an aerial view of the group of sharks circling the whale carcass (Image: Department of Environment and Science).
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