Sand Tiger Shark

[Hoyden]

Sand tigers are generally not aggressive unless provoked. They are common on the NC wrecks - especially the Papoose. Diving with Sand tigers is one of the big draws of NC diving. It is normal to see multiple sand tigers on one dive. They are generally docile although they have been known to harass spear fishers. Their appearance can be really threatening since you can see spo many teeth, but those teeth are nice pointy kind of rounded teeth that are designed to poke into fish - not to rip or tear. The one swimming towards you was not posturing. The "4th" most dangerous shark comment is typical media (probably tv) BS although I have never seen one that lists STs as dangerous. Their docile temperament paired with their scary appearance makes them very popular aquarium sharks. Please consider reading Peter Benchley's Shark Trouble for some good general info about sharks.

See the following links for sand tiger info:
http://www.colszoo.org/internal/drum_croaker/pdf/2004SS2.pdf#search="sandtiger posturing"
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Sandtiger/Sandtiger.html
http://www.sharkinfo.ch/SI1_00e/ctaurus.html
http://www.elasmodiver.com/Sandtiger shark.htm
http://www.postmodern.com/~fi/sharkpics/ellis/sandtigr.htm

Some really cool video:
http://www.nautilusproductions.com/shark.html

Diving with Sand tigers:
http://members.aol.com/fpsndiver/fpsn11.html

BTW, nice video!

 

[victor]

Great piece of video, well done to remember to start recording in those circumstances.

I suspect that caused a significant injection of adrenalin into your system. It did to me and I am sitting at my desk.

What was the contigency plan if it came back, feed the camera to the shark or your buddy?
:lol:

 

[divekraz]

The funny thing is my wife was more concerned afterwards than I was since I figured if he was attacking I would've already been bitten, since they're so fast and that's why she looked on the internet, as my opinions don't hold as much weight with her as it does from others. The comments and information from the board have been very helpful and appreciated.

My contigency plan was to give him a expensive camera set up instead of my body parts and second choice was to make such a large brown cloud behind me he wouldn't be able to follow me.

I thought the shark was more curious than threatening. Still, anytime something that big with that many teeth gets that close it gets your heart going a bit faster. We had about 10 min. bottom time left but was definately a little more watchful. It's hard to see the size of the shark from the video without my body as a reference but the next day we were on the same wreck and I think I saw the same shark cruising by me about 6 ft. away and it was 10+'

Glad everyone liked the video and thanks for the comments

 

[fairybasslet]

There are sand tigers in the Living Seas aquarium at Epcot that you can dive with, which I did when I was there for business. Do you really think Disney would put "man-eaters" in their tourist trap tank?Especially when families in the restaurants looking into the tank can watch a diver being devoured over their hamburger? :lol2:

 

[Walter]

Well, I agree that Sand Tigers are not generally aggressive sharks, but most sharks become even more docile in captivity. Some sharks in captivity must be hand fed.

 

[Sano]

During SHARK WEEK, David Salmoni in Sharks: Are They Hunting Us, is panicked out of an aquarium by Sand Tigers. He then reports that Sand Tigers are the 4th most dangerous shark (in terms of the number of confirmed human deaths from attacks --- Great White 394, Tiger 140, Bull 98, Sand Tiger 74, Requiem 54).

The expert at the aquarium told David to avoid swimming beside the shark’s head. He said Sand Tigers attack to the side.

I too dived Epcot. I captured a great frame from the video that shows a 10’ Sand Tiger in the foreground (head and fin) VERY closely following three clueless divers (one being me) by the restaurant windows.

 

[divekraz]

Some really cool video:
http://www.nautilusproductions.com/shark.html

Diving with Sand tigers:
http://members.aol.com/fpsndiver/fpsn11.html

BTW, nice video![/QUOTE]

Your cool video site was particularly interesting. It also shows the Sand Tiger as having the 4th most fatal unprovoked attacks 1554 - 1996 with Great white 231 Tiger 67 Bull 57 Sand Tiger 31, So for being unagressive it's still #4 unless this is completely bogus information. Bottom line, big animal, lots of teeth, be careful

 

[Walter]

During SHARK WEEK, David Salmoni in Sharks: Are They Hunting Us, is panicked out of an aquarium by Sand Tigers. He then reports that Sand Tigers are the 4th most dangerous shark (in terms of the number of confirmed human deaths from attacks --- Great White 394, Tiger 140, Bull 98, Sand Tiger 74, Requiem 54).

Interesting. The International Shark Attack File has vastly different numbers for fatal attacks.
From 1580 - 2005:

White - - - -63
Tiger - - - - 28
Bull - - - - - 22
Requiem - - - 8
Sand Tiger - -2

 

[Sano]

Walter:

You are correctl. I miscopied the Shark attackes by species since the year 1,580:

Great white 394
Tiger shark 140
Bull 98
Sand tiger 74
Requiem 54

Credit: International Shark Attack File

 

[ScubaThor]

Regardless of what the shark's intentions may have been - GREAT VIDEO! I certainly would have made a large brown cloud in the water myself.
A 10' shark is a 10' shark, no matter what species. They all have teeth.
Thanks for sharing.