Sharks stun prey with tail slaps

Thresher sharks use their impressive tails to stun several prey at once with sharp "tail slaps", scientists have confirmed.

The sharks' scythe-like tails make up half the length of their body, so it had long been suspected that the animals used them in hunting.

Footage of the predators using tail slaps to attack and kill sardines has finally confirmed this.

The findings are reported in the journal Plos One.

Footage courtesy of Jan Acosta and Klemens Gann