A famous population of great white sharks has disappeared from the South African coast after killer whales moved in.

The great whites that usually live in Fale Bay off the coast of Cape Town are famous for leaping from the water to take seals and draw tens of thousands of tourists every year wanting to see them first-hand, either from boats or in shark cages.

This season, however, not a single shark has been sighted and experts say the appearance to two male killer whales is to blame.

The "rogue" animals, known as Port and Starboard, are thought to have adapted to prey on Cape Town's sharks and appear to be killing them to eat their livers.

Five great whites washed up along the coastline in 2017 with gaping wounds on their side with their livers having been bitten out by the whales.

Shark tour operators up the coast in Gansbaai are reported to be worried about the impact to their businesses and must be hoping the killer whales move on to new hunting grounds soon.