Sand Tiger Shark

[Walter]

I still don't see numbers like you are reporting. International Shark Attack File

 

[Sano]

Walter:

I just cut an pasted from the story. They site your source.

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

Great video, I give your wife a great big kissssss for that one.

 

[Pathfinder]

Great video. It certainly has a different feel to it when you know it's just an everage Joe's video rather than something seen on the Discovery channel.
The statistics are great, however if I'm in the water with something that large and toothy I think the stats would be of little comfort

Dave

 

[SparticleBrane]

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.

I truly believe Shark Week has the intention of scaring the public. Sand Tigers off to coast of the eastern US are not aggressive.

 

[Chad Carney]

I've had sharks sometimes come up and check me out while shooting video, not posturing but definitly inquisitive, then split just like this sand tiger did. Possibly they sense the camera motor noise.

Recently in the Gulf of Mexico a 10+ foot sand tiger hovered over a deep wreck, while two of us speared fish. The shark watched us as I shot two groupers but never came close to me. One I stoned, no quivering at all, but the second thrashed a bit, still no action. My buddy shot one also and the shark lazily drifted above him, not close, but enough for him to take his eye off the fish, and it ran up inside the wreck. The shark stuck around the way barracudas often hang near structure, while we checked out the rest of the wreck.

I believe the shark in the video was just curious and quickly chose to skeedaddle!

Chad

 

[rawls]

I know that shark. Name is Bubba Earl. He tends to drink a bit too much and gets a little nippy when he has had a few too many. Must have been out too late at the Froggy Dog again. Best friends with the Werewolf of London...

 

[Hoyden]

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

That's why I mentioned that site under cool video, not under "see the following links for info" - ISAF lists 2 sand tiger shark attack fatalities.

Jackie Cooper

 

[Hoyden]

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.

Can you site studies to support "most sharks become even more docile in captivity"? Not trying to be a jerk, just want to see the studies. Most fish eating sharks in captivity are pole fed. Even the ones that are "hand-fed" are usually fed with a small tool/fish holder. I dive with sharks at an aquarium regularly.

 

[divekraz]

If anyone has the book Deep, Dark, and Dangerous by Gary Gentile, see page 18. He was diving off North Carolina. Doesn't say what wreck or anything else regarding location. He says the Sand Tiger Shark actually bit his strobe and that the strobe was the reason for the attack. I have 3 battery packs on my video but the cycling of Gary's strobe would be different as my lights are always on so the attraction may have been the electical field or the video camera in action.