Be weary of seven gill sharks !

[CuzzA]

Do not hold your breath. Discovery Channel's Shark Week is sensationalist trolling.

Sharks are more in danger of being finned than humans are in danger of being bitten.

I exhaled a long time ago. A network I once thought of as excellent, educational, and informative where I actually "Discovered" something new is now a network that has naked people running around affraid while fixing cars, drunk off their moonshine, diving for gold in... Alaska. Perhaps they should just go for broke and put all of their concepts together in one show, filmed in... Alaska of course.

As for shark finning, I think humans have really made the turn in the first world. Asia is still obviously a big problem, but we're headed in the right direction. In fact, I can speak from experience here in Florida that sharks are thriving, maybe too much. Some days it's impossible to fish with out your catch being nailed by a shark. We've had days we just quit because we were basically just feeding sharks. That could also explain why we're seeing so many more bites this year. Especially on the east coast. Of course many argue there's more people in the water, but who's keeping track. Is it that much more than just a few years ago? This is all speculation of course.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Earlier this year the new Discovery Channel president declared there would be a policy change and they were going to take a new, more credible course.

This, from the same company that owns TLC and other "informational" cable networks responsible for such fascinating entertainment as Honey Boo Boo, large families pretending to be super moral, Amish sluts and child porn called Toddlers and Tiaras. I guess informative, honest and educational television does not generate enough ratings revenue.

 

[Z Gear]

There was a seen on a previous dive on this remote location in New Zealand, that showed a seven gill trying to bite the female diver (oceanography student). It kind of hard to dispute this as Hollywood hype, don't you think?

Here take a good look and judge for yourself.

[video]http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8197587/Shark-grabs-diver-by-the-head[/video]

 

[CuzzA]

I wouldn't say that shark was trying to "attack" the diver to consume her. Looks more like it was just curious about the reg or having a little fun. Look at it this way, just about everything in the ocean uses its mouth like we use our hands. For example, I have a reef tank and my Blue Hippo Tang often likes to pick up snails in her mouth and swim them around before tossing it at the top of the tank and then chasing/following it down to watch it hit the sand bed. It's really comical to watch, but tangs don't eat snails, so I'm confident she's just playing. Unfortunately with most apex predators in the ocean, them playing around doesn't end well for us.

But I hear you and again that's why I would breath softly and carry a big stick. Had those divers had a stick, I'd be willing to bet that one quick jab from it to the head or side and that fish would have turned tail. Instead they allowed it to get closer and closer. Nevertheless, I think you would have to agree that Hollywood and the media too is known for sensationalizing everything, including sharks. A seven gill is a decent size shark, I would be cautious if one entered my area and if it came close I'd establish dominance and let it know I was dangerous.

I could see the news headline for this video below. "Even Small Sharks are Turning into Vicious Man Eaters!"

[video=youtube;fEBM3nPMen8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEBM3nPMen8[/video]

 

[oldschoolto]

I always carried my shark dart with the co2 safety off.. To

Jim...

 

[kimbalabala]

I like to watch a couple of episodes of shark week each year just to see the different varieties so if I run into something other than a nurse shark I might know what it was. I'm not a fan of shark dives as I suspect they train sharks where to find humans dishing out food and I don't want to mistakenly have an exploratory bite taken out of me. You won't find me poking a shark - or a bear or even a dog - with a stick. Why wouldn't they identify the poking person (or species) as a threat and bite them?

 

[CuzzA]

Self preservation. A shark typically does not want a fight. As far as the stick. It seems like a no brainer. A stick to buy time for a safe exit or your hand? I'll use the stick and keep my hand.

 

[victorzamora]

IMO, absolutely. The fact is a shark is dangerous just by the nature of its design. Each shark is going to have its own temperment. One could be very hungry and will take a greater risk of injury to insure it gets a meal.

Yeah, or one could have a nagging wife making him do construction on his Sunday off and he's just looking for an excuse to take frustration and anger out.....

 

[Mudd]

Talk about manufactured drama. WTF was that all about? In the beginning of the clip the guy reaches out and sticks his camera stick or whatever that was in the sharks mouth, later when the other diving photographer is getting his "awesome photos" the shark is closer than it was when the 1st diver earlier reached out and stuck it's mouth???? Didn't seem to be too worried.

Come to New York as a tourist, and try sticking your camera in some big dude's mouth on the subway, then tell me which species is more dangerous.

Just like the Discovery Channel you can claim to do it for science.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I wouldn't say that shark was trying to "attack" the diver to consume her. Looks more like it was just curious about the reg or having a little fun. Look at it this way, just about everything in the ocean uses its mouth like we use our hands. For example, I have a reef tank and my Blue Hippo Tang often likes to pick up snails in her mouth and swim them around before tossing it at the top of the tank and then chasing/following it down to watch it hit the sand bed. It's really comical to watch, but tangs don't eat snails, so I'm confident she's just playing. Unfortunately with most apex predators in the ocean, them playing around doesn't end well for us.

But I hear you and again that's why I would breath softly and carry a big stick. Had those divers had a stick, I'd be willing to bet that one quick jab from it to the head or side and that fish would have turned tail. Instead they allowed it to get closer and closer. Nevertheless, I think you would have to agree that Hollywood and the media too is known for sensationalizing everything, including sharks. A seven gill is a decent size shark, I would be cautious if one entered my area and if it came close I'd establish dominance and let it know I was dangerous.

I could see the news headline for this video below. "Even Small Sharks are Turning into Vicious Man Eaters!"

[video=youtube;fEBM3nPMen8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEBM3nPMen8[/video]

Is the diver swimming close to a nest? Many fish are territorial. Around here you'll get that behavior from a ling cod if you're careless enough to get too close to the egg mass.

They're not "attacking" ... they're "defending".

... Bob (Grateful Diver)