If you thought sharks were the undisputed kings of the ocean, you were wrong. These crazy photographs and video show a group of sea lions munching on a shark.

Slater Moore, a photographer who specializes in marine wildlife photography, snapped these unbelievable images of five California sea lions attacking and eating a small thresher shark just off the coast of Newport Beach, California during a whale-watching tour.

"It was absolutely insane," Moore, a member of the boat's crew, told The Huffington Post. "Predator becoming prey, nature's finest!"

The sight was witnessed last Wednesday from Davey’s Locker Sportfishing and Whale Watching tour boat.

"Everyone on the boat was completely shocked," Slater added.

 

 

As weird as this behavior might seem, it’s not as scientifically surprising as you may think.

California sea lions are opportunistic eaters, meaning they chow down on pretty much anything they can get their flippers on. That includes octopus, herring, rockfish, mackerel, and, of course, small sharks.

Speaking to Hakai Magazine, Chris Lowe, a shark researcher in California, says he sees that sort of thing all the time.

“It’s pretty common here in California. California sea lions will kill five-foot-long (1.5 meter) leopard sharks,” he said. “Over the course of one summer I watched one bull sea lion basically knock an entire aggregation of leopard sharks down to nothing.”

^{Image credit: Slater Moore}

^{Image credit: Slater Moore}