Shark 'the size of a car' kills surfer in West Australia

[johnny]

I don't know Wellard, i can't tell if a shark takes notice of different colours. All i know is that he sees something moving, sees it's shape, and thinks it's dinnertime. If there's swimmers in the water, the shark can actually hear it's heartbeats, and according to the shark's cookbook.... if it has a heartbeat, it's food.

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by wellard: I remember a holiday in the Northern territories a few years ago. I ended up swimming in a billabong with 'danger crocs' signs all around. When it's over 40c dry and dusty, the water fed from a double waterfall is sooooo inviting. The fact that there was 30 other people swimming or paddling around sort of made the odds worthwhile. It sounds dumb but I'm sure most others would have done the same.

Actually Wellard, no offence mate, but that probably wasn't one of your more intelligent moves. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]

[Memnoch]

Anyway, an update:

From the Sydney Morning Herald: . Surfers return as hunt for shark goes on July 12, 2004 - 2:43PM . Surfers were back in the water today while the hunt continued for the shark that killed a West Australian surfer, as debate raged over whether the predator should be destroyed if found. . Witnesses have told how one shark circled surfer Bradley Adrian Smith, 29, as a larger shark savaged him on Saturday afternoon at the popular Left Handers break, near Gracetown, 280 km south of Perth. . A post-mortem examination on the body of Mr Smith, who was from Shoalwater, 41km south of Perth, was likely to be carried out in Perth today, police said. . Evidence ... Mr Smith's board is removed by police. . Fisheries WA senior shark research scientist Rory McCauley, along with police, today will examine evidence to try to determine what type of shark attacked Mr Smith. . Although witnesses have indicated both sharks may have been great whites, Fisheries WA already has said a bronze whaler may have been responsible. . The department's shark incident response coordinator Tony Cappelluti said the search for the maneater would cover a grid 10 to 15 nautical miles to the north and south of Left Handers, and up to two nautical miles out to sea. . "As the day progresses they will generally extend that further out, north and south," Mr Cappelluti said. . If a shark were sighted, the fisheries patrol vessel Hamelin would try to drive it out to sea, but if an "immediate threat" was perceived, it would be brought alongside the boat and destroyed. . No sharks have been seen in the area, but fisheries had investigated a false sighting at Prevelly Park, near Margaret River, that turned out to be a pod of dolphins, he said. . Although the beach at Left Handers remained closed today, surfers already had returned to the water. . Talkback callers have inundated Perth radio stations today, supporting and criticising the option of shooting the sharks. . But 16-year-old Cameron Rowe - who, with friend Mitch Campbell, 17, risked his life to go to Mr Smith's aid - said he doubted the search would turn up any sign of the fish. . "I think that the chances of finding that same shark again - there a lot of sharks in ocean - it might be a bit futile trying to find that shark," he said. . Cameron said he and Mitch had been surfing nearby Mr Smith on Saturday when they heard the cry of "shark" and saw the huge predator lunge at the surfer. . He said he and Mitch ran across a reef and plunged into the bloodied water to assist the surfer. . "We didn't really (think about the presence of the sharks). I was thinking about it, but it was a shocking situation so we didn't think about it that much," he told ABC radio. . "There was a lot of blood. When Mitch got to him, he took one look at him and realised how much of a bad way he was in, he was completely white and he had such horrific injuries that I think he knew straight away that he was dead." . Mr Smith's brother Stephen said his brother had died doing what he loved best and killing the shark would be an act of senseless revenge that would not bring Brad back. . "I don't believe the shark should be killed just for the sake of what happened," Stephen told reporters yesterday. . "I don't believe that (the death of) Brad can be revenged by killing the sharks." . AAP . Source: www.smh.com.au

[ 07-12-2004, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

[Harkoliar]

thanks mario.. thats interesting facts indeed. I will try and be careful when it comes to summer .

[Dron_Cah]

Sharks often hunt in packs, don't they? Well, if they do, it's prolly not called a "pack," but, whatever. That, and maybe the other shark showed up after the smell/sensing of blood.

As an off-shoot: Has anyone else heard of a "wobblebong?" (sp?) I have a shark book around somewhere, and it had several types of sharks, including all the ones previously mentioned. IIRC, this shark looked very much like a rock, and waited for prey to swim up to it, before it attacked. Just curious, as I never hear anyone talk about those. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[T-D-C]

It is extremly rare for a Great White (Which they claim the shark to be) to hunt in a pack. They are solitary hunters.

To my knowledge they havn't even ID'd what type of shark it was.

[wellard]

Originally posted by Memnoch: quote: Originally posted by wellard: I remember a holiday in the Northern territories a few years ago. I ended up swimming in a billabong with 'danger crocs' signs all around. When it's over 40c dry and dusty, the water fed from a double waterfall is sooooo inviting. The fact that there was 30 other people swimming or paddling around sort of made the odds worthwhile. It sounds dumb but I'm sure most others would have done the same.

Actually Wellard, no offence mate, but that probably wasn't one of your more intelligent moves. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]Funny enough thats what my wife said [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img]