Learn it. Live it.
If I didn’t know any better, based on Hasselfhoff’s account, it would seem as though the shark was reacting to the "bait" that he was holding rather than Hasselhoff, himself. The last time I checked, "bait" is used to lure and entice, so I’m not sure why it’s news that baiting a tiger shark would result in the tiger shark responding accordingly to the situation.
And the winner (or is it loser?) is…ContactMusic." Why is Contact Music reporting a story about sharks in the first place?" you might ask. Well, it’s Steven Spielberg related news, of course. He directed that shark movie back in ’75. What was it called again? Oh yes, “Jaws.” That’s the one. Hence, any story regarding great white sharks should automatically be associated with Spielberg (in the eyes of some media outlets, at least).
Real-life great white sharks, like this one and the ones recently spotted near Chatham, are often times confused with the large, fake, mechanical shark featured in the movie, Jaws, by some media outlets.
ContactMusic’s article, “Jaws sightings close Massachusetts Beaches,” is about as utterly ridiculous as they come. Just to clarify the headline, multiple sightings of great white sharks near the coastline are what prompted the closing of several Chatham beaches, not sightings of the movie Jaws. The article goes so far as to say that the recent white shark sightings near Chatham, Massachusetts are "terrifying residents of nearby Martha’s Vineyard" (where Jaws was filmed). Say what? Was there any reporting done to substantiate the terror has fallen upon the residents of Martha’s Vineyard? It seems that the good people of Martha’s Vineyard wouldn’t be too fazed by white shark sightings, considering that there have been white sharks reported around the Vineyard repeatedly in recent years. I guess the white sharks around Chatham are more fear-inducing than the ones that were in closer proximity to Martha’s Vineyard in the past.
Thanks for spreading unnecessary fear, ContactMusic. Now, back to reality.
According to ABC, a swimming ban was put into effect at multiple Chatham beaches after multiple great white shark sightings were confirmed in the area. According to WCBV-TV three white sharks were spotted Saturday evening. Chatham officials have placed the no-swimming ban in effect until at least mid-week for all east-side beaches. The good news is that researchers were able to tag two of the sharks, one of which was tagged within 75 yards of the coastline.
Two great white sharks have been tagged with satellite tracking devices off of Cape Cod
Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts’ Division of Marine Wildlife, along with a team of fishermen, were able to tag two of the great white sharks with satellite tracking devices. Skomal described the tagging of the two white sharks as being “fantastic,” from a scientific perspective.The event marked the first time that great white sharks had been tagged in the Atlantic, according to a WCBV video feature. Update: Multiple news sources are now saying that this weekend’s taggings of two great white sharks mark the second and third time white sharks have been tagged in the Atlantic.
It is also worth pointing out that the WCBV video feature makes note that at least one aspect of tourism in the area has received a bit of boost, due to the shark sightings. An interest in excursions to attempt to view the great whites has increased business for at least one excursion operator who typically runs trips to view seals.
Both the ABC report and the WCBV-TV reports managed to do a decent job of objectively reporting the story, without throwing in the typical hype. Hopefully, the tagging of the sharks will provide information that will help lead to a better understanding of a species that is often misrepresented and misunderstood.
Five shark sightings near Monomy Island have drawn media attention to the Chatham, Massachusetts area once again. (Possible white shark sightings near Chatham drew media attention last month, as well.) According to NECN, at least one of the sharks spotted was confirmed as a great white shark. Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries says that seal populations are the likely cause of the presence of sharks. While Skomal encourages beach-goers to pay attention whenever they enter the ocean, when asked if it was safe to go back in the water, he said, “I’d go swimming.” As common sense would dictate, swimmers are being warned to avoid areas with large seal congregations, since seals are a natural food source for large sharks.
The video footage above is not without its share of cliche sensationalism and comes complete with the obligatory Jaws reference, a ridiculously facetious “fish story,” and a reporter suggesting to a child that being in the water with sharks might result in the child being eaten. While white sharks are not uncommon in the New England area, particularly around this time of year, the last recorded fatal shark attack in Massachusetts waters occurred in 1936.
The Tribune of San Luis Obispo serves up some sensationlism in the article, ,13-foot shark slashes seal while boaters watch off Cambria; After fishing and diving off Cambria, North County trio gets a chilling, up-close look at a feeding great white. The story details the account of three divers who witnessed a white shark feeding on a seal off the coast of Cambria, Ca. The divers witnessed the event while aboard a Zodiac. While the article itself remains fairly objective and is well-written, the headline and secondary title take a natural feeding event and turn it into a “chilling” encounter for the witnesses, as the shark “slashes” through the seal. Can’t a white shark just eat a meal without it being likened to a scene from a horror movie? I’m glad my meals aren’t documented by the media, I can see the headline now…
According to the article Chinese belly-gods warn: Eating shark fins to have ecological, health consequences, not only does the shark fin market pose a devastating risk to marine ecosystems, it may also pose a health risk to its consumers. Steve Trent of Wild Aid is pushing for promoting awareness about dangers of shark fin consumption in China, the world’s largest consumer of shark fins. Part of this awareness campaign includes Public Service Announcements like the one below (Warning: contains brief finning imagery)
According to Trent,
"Research shows they contain heavy metals such as mercury, which can cause damage to the nervous system and male infertility."
According to the article, Trent said that most Chinese shark fin consumers were not aware of the ecological effects of the shark fin industry. He also noted that many consumers did not even that shark fin delicacies actually contained the fins. This is due to the literal translation of "yu chi" meaning "fish fin". Due to this confusion, some consumers assumed they were eating highly nutritional domestic fish. Trent encourages responsible fishing practices and goes on to say that the "hunting of sharks should be carried out in a sustainable way, restraint should be exercised in consumption of the cartilaginous fish, and the practice of hunting sharks merely for fins should be banned."
According to a report on NBC San Diego, a woman was bitten repeatedly by a juvenile great white shark, yet sustained injuries that “didn’t even cut the skin.” Bethany Edmunds described feeling a sharp pain in her foot while taking underwater photos. She initially shrugged it off as having possibly kicked the reef, when she felt the same pain a second time. She then began to swim away from the area when she was "hit on the upper right thigh" and knocked about 1′ out of the water. It was at this point that she attempted to head for shore. While heading for shore, Edmunds says she, "felt the same sharp pain in my left calf, but this time I was dragged under water and shaken for 4 – 5 seconds." Edmunds stated that during this struggle she accidentally kicked the shark prompting the shark to release her.
According to Encinatas lifeguard, Elena Tellechea, a shark specialist confirmed the bites were from a juvenile great white shark based on the injuries. Thankfully, Edmunds, was not seriously injured as a result of the multiple bites. According to information at the Shark Research Committee website the bite marks, which produced no obvious signs of bleeding when Edmunds exited the water, are indicative of a juvenile white shark approximately 5-6′ (1.5-1.8m) in length. The site also has two images of the bite marks.
According to News24.com, a surfer has died after suffering a shark bite to his right leg, while surfing Glentana and Outeniqua, near Mossel Bay, today. The species of shark involved in the attack is not known at this time, according to the report. The victim was brought ashore by a friend who had been surfing with him. According to National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, the victim was airlifted to George Provincial Hospital in critical condition. After all efforts to save the man’s life were exhausted, he was declared deceased at the hospital. Lambinon made the following statement regarding the tragedy:
"The NSRI and the emergency services have expressed our deepest sympathies to the family of the victim."
This is the kind of story that you never want to see, and while the odds of a fatal shark attack are highly unlikely, those odds are of little consolation to the people who are directly affected by such a rare event. My sympathies go out to the friends and family of the victim.
Lesley Rochat, one of the minds behind the Rethink the Shark ad campaign, has posted a new video in conjunction with her recent article which appears in Africa Geographic magazine this month. "Mighty Maxine, A Shark’s Legacy" follows the story of Maxine, a sand tiger shark (also known as a ragged-tooth shark), and her journey from being accidentally entangled in a fishing net, tagged and released, caught by another fisherman, transported to live at the Two Oceans Aquarium for nine years, to being released back to the wild.
For more information about the Mighty Maxine campaign visit AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, where you can download a PDF of the Africa Geographic article and sign the petition to help protect multiple shark species.
According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website, they now have yet another juvenile white shark in captivity and on display in their Outer Bay exhibit. The 5’3″ female white shark was "collected" on August 12 by aquarium staff near Malibu, California. The shark was held for observation in an ocean holding pen to determine if she was eating and swimming appropriately before being transferred to the Outer Bay exhibit. According to the aquarium website, they hope the white shark will remain on exhibit for several months and serve "as a way to change public attitudes and promote protection for this magnificent and much-maligned ocean predator."
A juvenile female great white shark like this one is currently on display at Monterey Bay Aquarium.