Beqa Shark Attack

[Rooster59]

If some guy up in Bozeman decided to open a business called "Come Pet the Grizzly Bears", I would call that totally nuts. State Game and Fish would shut that down ricky-tick.

 

[aquacat8]

So y’all are saying she “tasted” his head, didn’t like, and spit it out?

 

[pepperbelly]

So y’all are saying she “tasted” his head, didn’t like, and spit it out?

It makes you wonder just how bad he tastes.

 

[drrich2]

If some guy up in Bozeman decided to open a business called "Come Pet the Grizzly Bears", I would call that totally nuts.

So would I, and that's where cross-referencing preconceived understandings rooted in conventional wisdom and common sense with real world practical experience is key.

Some years back, I was under the impression that when there was 'blood in the water,' sharks, which were 'near mindless indiscriminate eating machines,' routinely went berserk (the so-called 'feeding frenzy') and started wildly tearing into anything living they could get their jaws on that wasn't another shark, or much larger than themselves.

I would've also thought being in the water with a sizable tiger shark and no cage would be unacceptably dangerous, like someone would get savagely attacked and badly wounded or killed at least one dive in 15 or so. Why wouldn't a hungry 10-foot 'near mindless eating machine' tiger shark go after a diver?

But the actual experience of these dives, as shown in many videos and trip reports posted online? The real world truth? Far different. Sharks are neither near mindless nor indiscriminate. The food in the water doesn't routinely trigger these berserk feeding frenzies.

If grizzly petting had a comparable track record, probably more people would do it, but large land carnivores seem to react to close human presence differently. Bears, lions, tigers, somehow it's different.

Richard.

 

[Johnoly]

So y’all are saying she “tasted” his head, didn’t like, and spit it out?

Spit it out? Lots of SB members dive with tigers and they are one of the only sharks that doesn't really circle alot. They are really curious and will taste the plastic milk crate, taste your camera strobes, taste our spear guns. When they bite, it's not a trashing head jerking to tear a piece of meat off. It's a simple bite and release. But due to their size, it's a big bite and they never turn before hand. You should come dive Jupiter in May and see them, they are really beautiful to see their stripes up close

 

[SoccerDad]

That may be - however, I do find it interesting that there are a few in this video but I don't see any of the divers looking around - them seem singularly focused on the sharks directly in front of them?

I have to agree, having done that exact dive several times most are concentrated on the two DM located by the feeder container. You would be surprised how often a tiger is making a run behind everyone looking over the wall,

 

[Johnoly]

....But the actual experience of these dives, as shown in many videos and trip reports posted online? The real world truth? ....

It's true,,the only way to show divers how sharks behave is to let them get within arm's distance of the different types of sharks and see how they how they move and act. If we can't get them in the water and up close, they won't change their minds.

 

[DandyDon]

If grizzly petting had a comparable track record, probably more people would do it, but large land carnivores seem to react to close human presence differently. Bears, lions, tigers, somehow it's different.

If you ever wanted to pet a tiger or lion, this zoo is the place

For about $25, reports the L.A. Times, the zoo allows its guests to touch and to ride and walk among wild animals, including lions, tigers and bears. Oh, my.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I petted an unrestrained male cougar once. That was enough for me.

 

[aquacat8]

If you think about it, most of our pets are predators: cats, dogs, birds, fish. We see how they act when we feed them. Usually they go for the food, not the hand, but occasionally mistakes are made…