Fatal Shark Bite "Unavoidable"

Shark attack could not have been avoided

The fatal shark bite that took place at Fish Hoek earlier this monthcould not have been avoided, according to the City of Cape Town. TheCity’s official review of the incident puts to an end any speculationand incorrect perceptions around the incident, and suggests it was mostlikely a combination of factors that contributed to the attack.

Ocean conditions

The water and weather conditions on the day dramatically reduced thelikelihood of seeing white sharks in the area. The review, conducted bythe city’s head for environmental policy and strategy, Gregg Oelofse,stated, “Conditions for shark spotting at the time of the attack werenot ideal, as indicated by the raised Shark Spotters black flag. Therewas a high wind speed of 69km per hour, which resulted in high chopconditions and intermittent cloud cover.”

Location

Mr. Loyd Skinner was swimming, and not standing as previouslyreported, about 100 metres away from the shoreline when the sharkapproached him. This was significantly further out into the bay and indeeper water than any of the other estimated 12 to 15 bathers in thewater at the time. In addition, eyewitnesses reported a large school offish in close proximity to where Mr. Skinner was swimming at the timeof the attack. Fish are a large part of the white shark’s diet, andprey availability seems to be the primary reason for white sharksventuring close to shore. SOSF white shark scientist Alison Kock hasfrequently recorded white sharks hunting schools of yellowtail at thesurface in False Bay, and in line with this summer’s increase in sharksightings have also been reports of an abundance of baitfish in thearea. On this occasion the white shark was most likely drawn to thewarmer in-shore waters to hunt the nearby school of fish or larger fishpredating on the school. Alison suggests that the shark was already infeeding mode, with its heightened senses stimulated when it came acrossMr. Skinner swimming in the bay on his own. 

Rare type of attack

All indications are that the shark suddenly emerged from deeperwater, where it was not visible beforehand and attacked within seconds.The report states that had the shark spotters on duty seen the sharkprior to the attack there would not have been any time to warn thebathers before the shark attacked. The type of attack witnessed herewas predatory in nature, but these kinds of attacks are extremely rare.The vast majority of shark attacks are not fatal.

White sharks have evolved over millions of years to predate on fish,other sharks and marine mammals such as Cape fur seals. The ocean isnot our natural habitat and because humans did not evolve in the wateralongside sharks we are not on sharks’ menus. “White sharks, however,are opportunistic predators, and very occasionally under a certain rarecombination of factors they bite people,” states SOSF white sharkscientist Alison Kock.

All shark bite incidents have their own set of unique circumstancesand different behaviours apply to different species of sharks.According to Alison each shark attack results from the uniquecombination of certain factors, which include: location, time of theattack, species of shark involved, behaviour and activity of the shark,size of the shark, behaviour and activity of the person, environmentaland biological factors.

White sharks hunt most of their prey using the element of surprise.When predating on Cape fur seals in False Bay, for example, whitesharks launch themselves from depths below the seals as they leave orreturn to Seal Island.  They also choose the early morning or lateafternoon hours for their ambush when the light intensity penetratingthe water is low and the seals are less able to see them.

White sharks in-shore

White sharks are present along South Africa’s Western Cape shoresall year round, with a higher number of white sharks moving closer toshore during the summer months (between October and April), a patternthat has most likely been going on for decades. In fact, most whitesharks that were hunted in the 1960’s and 1970’s in Cape Town waterswere hunted in the summer along the stretch of coast betweenStrandfontein and Strand. The first fatal shark attacks recorded inFalse Bay were from Simon’s Town area in 1900 and 1901.

Almost every day of the summer white sharks swim along the inshorewaters of False Bay and other areas in the Western Cape, oftenimmediately behind the backline of breakers. The waves from Muizenbergto Glen Cairn are often populated with hundreds of surfers and bodyboarders. If white sharks viewed humans as part of their prey attackswould be a daily occurrence, not only along the backline but also muchcloser to the beach, and we would have no choice but to stay out of thewater completely.

There is a risk factor associated with almost any activity,including driving to the beach, making toast or even sitting on achair, and swimming in the ocean is no different. The ocean is one ofthe last wildernesses on our planet and entering it is not withoutinherent risk. No “shark safety method” is 100 per cent effective. Infact, no safety method for anything is 100 per cent in the ocean. Roguewaves happen, rip currents catch people unawares, some of the ocean’ssmallest creatures can be the most venomous, and hazardous waste cancause diseases. There is always a risk. The aim for each individual isto be responsible for their actions and whenever possible minimizethose risks.

•    Swim in a group
•    Do not swim in an area where sharks have been spotted
•    Do not swim beyond the breakers
•    Do not swim when there is fish activity in the area (look out forbirds and dolphins feeding at the surface as a clue for high fishactivity).

The SOSF white shark research project is studying the behaviouralecology of white sharks in the Cape’s waters and much of theinformation available in this article comes from information collectedby the research team spending thousands of hours in the field studyingthese apex predators. Through this research we hope to gain a betterunderstanding of what the driving forces are behind the movements ofwhite sharks. Great white sharks are a naturally occurring species inSouth African waters and as such they remain part of our landscape. TheSOSF white shark research project and the Shark Spotters will continueto monitor the movements of white sharks and issue alerts, such as thatissued prior to the attack on the 12th January, when there is anincrease in shark sightings.

For more information or to donate to the Great White Shark Research Project please visit www.saveourseas.com