Sharks of the ocean kind....
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William_H
Well-known member
Shark
Yes a real tragedy and yes quite likely the authorities in Seychelles did not want the threat of shark attack being blown out of proportion by sensationalists. Yes perhaps there should have been more warnings.
The problem is that beginning with the movie Shark the danger has been magnified especially by those who don't swim. Why don't people fear and have nightmares about motor cycles or motor ways or kids and drugs or smoking. (the list could go on) Statistically there are so many more dangers in this world than sharks.
It is hardly surprising then that a journalist gets the scent of a sensational story and hence his own glory by drumming up a conspiracy theory.
olewill who will keep on swimming in the ocean here despite fatal shark attacks over the years.
Yes a real tragedy and yes quite likely the authorities in Seychelles did not want the threat of shark attack being blown out of proportion by sensationalists. Yes perhaps there should have been more warnings.
The problem is that beginning with the movie Shark the danger has been magnified especially by those who don't swim. Why don't people fear and have nightmares about motor cycles or motor ways or kids and drugs or smoking. (the list could go on) Statistically there are so many more dangers in this world than sharks.
It is hardly surprising then that a journalist gets the scent of a sensational story and hence his own glory by drumming up a conspiracy theory.
olewill who will keep on swimming in the ocean here despite fatal shark attacks over the years.
snooks
Active member
Why is it when there is a shark attact, it's always punted about that it was a great white? Cover of The Sun today, "Doc: shark was great white" in the link, shark could have been great white. No one seems to have worked out that the Great White is a cold water shark, and doesn't live in the Indian Ocean cos it's too hot for it. But why let facts get in the way of scare-mongering?
I bet the great whites would like to get Peter Benchley and Speilberg for deformation of character
I bet the great whites would like to get Peter Benchley and Speilberg for deformation of character
BurnitBlue
Well-known member
I didn't know that. If there are no Great Whites in tropical waters what is the species of shark that should be feared. Tiger, Hammerhead?
snooks
Active member
Tigers are tropical water sharks, but I don't know enough to speculate. It seems a knee jerk reaction that whenever there's a shark attack it "has to be a great white" even when it hasn't
fishermantwo
Active member
Why is it when there is a shark attact, it's always punted about that it was a great white? Cover of The Sun today, "Doc: shark was great white" in the link, shark could have been great white. No one seems to have worked out that the Great White is a cold water shark, and doesn't live in the Indian Ocean cos it's too hot for it. But why let facts get in the way of scare-mongering?
I bet the great whites would like to get Peter Benchley and Speilberg for deformation of character
I spent 26 years as a professional fisherman and over the years a lot of time long lining sharks. The majority were bronze whalers, hammerheads,tigers and carpet sharks. I grew up and used to spearfish where they filmed "Jaws". Only a few months after I joined the navy a woman was bitten in half in front of her family by a large great white in the same spot. Bull sharks do most of the biting.
I have never seen a great white shark!
wazza
Member
Tiger & Bull sharks are the most 'dangerous' behind the Great White... define tropical, as I believe the waters around Australia & S Africa are warm, and G Whites are certainly there..
nimbusgb
Active member
Great whites have been found in the 'Med, hardly cold water.
South Africa has very cold water on the West coast and around the Cape peninsular. The Benguela current comes up from the pole. On the Eastern seaboard very warm water is the brought down from the equator by the Aghulas current. Dyer island is almost at the Southernmost tip of South Africa and is where very high concentrations of great whites are found. It's also where the two currents meet and mix.
After the great White the top two to worry about are Tiger ( tropical and temperate waters ) and Zambezi ( Bull ) sharks ( mostly tropical )
South Africa has very cold water on the West coast and around the Cape peninsular. The Benguela current comes up from the pole. On the Eastern seaboard very warm water is the brought down from the equator by the Aghulas current. Dyer island is almost at the Southernmost tip of South Africa and is where very high concentrations of great whites are found. It's also where the two currents meet and mix.
After the great White the top two to worry about are Tiger ( tropical and temperate waters ) and Zambezi ( Bull ) sharks ( mostly tropical )
Davy_S
Well-known member
I am sure that I read about Great Whites in the Malta area, in fact one of the Bars had photos of G Whites caught there. Cant think which Bar it was though.
snooks
Active member
As I said I'm no expert, but I've swam in the Seychelles and it was warm, being just 2° off the equator IIRC.
According to the font of all Internet knowledge, Wikipedia, "Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore waters which have water temperature between 12 and 24 °C "
Water around the Seychelles is around 26° at it's coldest, so over the top of the Great White's habitable water temperature.
While the med might be warm it's still 40° from the equator, so it's not tropical (which lie between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn), but for a great white it must within it's tolerances
According to the font of all Internet knowledge, Wikipedia, "Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore waters which have water temperature between 12 and 24 °C "
Water around the Seychelles is around 26° at it's coldest, so over the top of the Great White's habitable water temperature.
While the med might be warm it's still 40° from the equator, so it's not tropical (which lie between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn), but for a great white it must within it's tolerances
rogerthebodger
Well-known member
Great white's in South Africa do not come up the east coast and stay mostly on the southern cape coast.
In the Durban and further north it tends the be Bull, Tiger, Gray and Bronze whaler.
We get a lot raggie tooth sharks but these only eat fish so unless provoked don't attack divers.
Bull sharks tend to be close to where rivers meet the sea and in lagoons. we had an attack in Durban port 3 or 4 years ago not a great white most likely a bull shark.
In the Durban and further north it tends the be Bull, Tiger, Gray and Bronze whaler.
We get a lot raggie tooth sharks but these only eat fish so unless provoked don't attack divers.
Bull sharks tend to be close to where rivers meet the sea and in lagoons. we had an attack in Durban port 3 or 4 years ago not a great white most likely a bull shark.
Relax
Member
IIRC Mackerel sharks (G whites, porbeagle, mako) have a mechanism within their blood chemistry to retain body heat caused by muscle friction - hence the need to essentially stay out of 'hot' water.
I was fishing in Mauritious a few years ago (well 20 thinking about it....) - we were live baiting marlin with tuna (3-5kg) and it was impossible to get the line out before the sharks scoffed them in half - you felt nothing, just reeled in a head.
In Dar es Salaam where I lived at the time three people were killed by bull sharks in the shallow water - that never made the beeb? Still - I suppose the beebs not interested in a few africans being killed in horrible sweaty Dar.....
.....cynical or what?
I was fishing in Mauritious a few years ago (well 20 thinking about it....) - we were live baiting marlin with tuna (3-5kg) and it was impossible to get the line out before the sharks scoffed them in half - you felt nothing, just reeled in a head.
In Dar es Salaam where I lived at the time three people were killed by bull sharks in the shallow water - that never made the beeb? Still - I suppose the beebs not interested in a few africans being killed in horrible sweaty Dar.....
.....cynical or what?
FWB
N/A
The DT thinks that the Seychelles are in the Pacific
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...hark-carried-out-fatal-Seychelles-attack.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...hark-carried-out-fatal-Seychelles-attack.html
Old Troll
New member
Old Troll
The Tiger and Mako are the most dangerous to man in the Indian Ocean. Most attacks to my knowledge happened when people were gutting and cleaning fish. For example in the shallow waters at Dar es Salaam fish market. These sharks had no history of man attacks but the locals were always wary when one was in the locality and would not be in the sea if they were about. Many a good time in Dar es Salaam. Jambo Sana.
The Tiger and Mako are the most dangerous to man in the Indian Ocean. Most attacks to my knowledge happened when people were gutting and cleaning fish. For example in the shallow waters at Dar es Salaam fish market. These sharks had no history of man attacks but the locals were always wary when one was in the locality and would not be in the sea if they were about. Many a good time in Dar es Salaam. Jambo Sana.
fishermantwo
Active member
Pretty much the same in Australia. The whites are common up the East coast though. Jaws was filmed off Port Lincoln[20 miles N] which has fairly cool waters. The majority of shark attacks in Australia are from Bull sharks although often reported as great whites. there have been quite a few attacks this year. I would rate the most dangerous the Bull sharks, estuaries and Sydney harbour. Surf beaches, Bronze whalers. Tigers eat anything and will eat dead bodies and all sorts of rubbish but are not all that aggressive. They have a tough skin and sell poorly so I always avoided them when I could. Price wise its Hammerheads and whalers, then Mako's, well down the list is Tigers. Whites are protected.
William_H
Well-known member
"Australian Waters"
Australia extends from about 4 degrees south latitude to 42 degrees south. So there are tropical waters and there are near antarctic waters and various currents change the water temperature. So making generalised comments about Australian waters is a bit dangerous. Perhaps he had in mind Sydney but hat is only a small part of Oz. olewill (being a bit sensitive)
Gordonmc
Active member
I am sure the early reports from the Seychelles identified the shark as a Bull, involved in both the deaths of the French guy a fortnight before and the Brit.
Davy_S remembers correctly. The bar is in Weid iL Zurrieq where the fishermen take tourists round to the Blue Grotto
Sorry about the quality of the pic... it is just a shot of the picture on the shop wall.
Shortly after the eedjit removed his head from the shark's jaw the vets arrived to take samples.
When they cut it open they found the heart was still pumping!
It was a 28 footer and held the world record for length.
Davy_S remembers correctly. The bar is in Weid iL Zurrieq where the fishermen take tourists round to the Blue Grotto
Sorry about the quality of the pic... it is just a shot of the picture on the shop wall.
Shortly after the eedjit removed his head from the shark's jaw the vets arrived to take samples.
When they cut it open they found the heart was still pumping!
It was a 28 footer and held the world record for length.
xxyyzz
New member
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/great-white-shark/
Range map:-
You get them everywhere, many sharks travel huge distances as well, so an attack in one area doesn't mean the shark will hang around.
Range map:-
You get them everywhere, many sharks travel huge distances as well, so an attack in one area doesn't mean the shark will hang around.
Davy_S
Well-known member
Thanks for that! (just goes to show my memory loss tablets are working)