Snorkeler Killed by Sharks in the Bahamas

[cerich]

@cerich
It would be most educational as well as interesting to share with the board about actual shark attacks rather that the current speculation so rampart on this thread

Please post when, where and what kind of diving you were doing when you experienced your shark attack (s)

Also your friend or aquatnace who was attacked

It would be appreciated by all..

SDM

1998, i was feeding a group of 5 small to medium size reefs in Cayman when a 6-7 footer took a run at my back and got a mouth of tank and ruined my seaquest balance bcd.

Had a few friends bitten, mostly hands, one foot, also feeding.

having sharks around made customers happy, so we would go out at dawn and feed them then go bring divers to the site where the sharks would still be hanging around.. good tips

Because of said behaviour and the very real possibility of the cayman gov charging us (more the first really) we stopped after doing for about 8 months

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

So instead of calling out the shark behavior or feeding habits - sharks are predatory animals.

Could it be that just - there is an overall increase in human activity with greater access to previously undervisited areas than in previous generations? More people with more money looking to visit less inhabited areas with less experience in water activities.

Seems like a people issue not a natural behavior issue... aka the sharks... Put yourself in an area of sharks and eventually you will get bit...

 

[cerich]

So instead of calling out the shark behavior or feeding habits - sharks are predatory animals.

Could it be that just - there is an overall increase in human activity with greater access to previously undervisited areas than in previous generations? More people with more money looking to visit less inhabited areas with less experience in water activities.

Seems like a people issue not a natural behavior issue... aka the sharks... Put yourself in an area of sharks and eventually you will get bit...

agree, shark attacks will happen, even without humans feeding them, however in areas where humans do feed them, they get conditioned and is much more likely to happen.

 

[Fastmarc]

Could it be that just - there is an overall increase in human activity with greater access to previously undervisited areas than in previous generations? More people with more money looking to visit less inhabited areas with less experience in water activities.

Seems like a people issue not a natural behavior issue... aka the sharks... Put yourself in an area of sharks and eventually you will get bit...

Is this in reference to this incident with the snorkeler?

 

[cerich]

Is this in reference to this incident with the snorkeler?

reports are she was attacked by 3 tigers. Where she was attacked is close to Tiger Beach where tigers are fed. Where she was attacked is also very close to where nurse sharks are fed.

could be a coincidence of course

 

[Hoyden]

As someone who works with sharks and with shark experts daily, I will say that there is a lot of misinformation in this thread that is presented as fact. Please take the time to research information that you encounter before accepting it as fact.

YMMV,

Jackie

 

[CuzzA]

As someone who works with sharks and with shark experts daily, I will say that there is a lot of misinformation in this thread that is presented as fact. Please take the time to research information that you encounter before accepting it as fact.

YMMV,

Jackie

Well, why don't you enlighten everyone? We do have one research paper linked here concluding that feeding them alters their behavior. Do you have any research you can share?

 

[cerich]

Well, why don't you enlighten everyone? We do have one research paper linked here concluding that feeding them alters their behavior. Do you have any research you can share?

let's keep it simple.

Generally, folks making money from shark feeding argue that they don't get conditioned (which reams of 50 plus years scientific research debunks) and cite the educational value.

People that want to dive with the sharks on what are VERY fun and cool dives want to believe them.

People that point out that feeding sharks changes their behavior are not making money off it and the first group really dislikes them.

 

[Rooster59]

let's keep it simple.

Generally, folks making money from shark feeding argue that they don't get conditioned (which reams of 50 plus years scientific research debunks) and cite the educational value.

People that want to dive with the sharks on what are VERY fun and cool divers want to believe them.

People that point out that feeding sharks changes their behavior are not making money off it and the first group really dislikes them.

This. Exactly.

 

[scubadada]

1998, i was feeding a group of 5 small to medium size reefs in Cayman when a 6-7 footer took a run at my back and got a mouth of tank and ruined my seaquest balance bcd.

Had a few friends bitten, mostly hands, one foot, also feeding.

having sharks around made customers happy, so we would go out at dawn and feed them then go bring divers to the site where the sharks would still be hanging around.. good tips

Because of said behaviour and the very real possibility of the cayman gov charging us (more the first really) we stopped after doing for about 8 months

Hi Chris,

Did you happen to work for Ocean Frontiers when they were doing the feeding and the shark interaction dives that were banned in 2002? Sharks are still quite commonly seen, especially off the sites at the SE corner