US Scuba Diver - Shark Attack

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't think it is fair to compare shark behaviour to bear behaviour. Maybe I'm wrong and I don't know bears well enough but, leave the chumming out of the equation for the time being, I'm pretty sure that if you go walk in the woods and stumble upon a bear you have a high risk of getting mauled. If you go dive in the sea and you stumble upon a shark you have an extremely low risk of being bitten.

Bears see you as a threat or intruder or food or whatever it is that make them maul you. Sharks don't see people as either and will, for the most part, ignore you or avoid you. When you add the "throwing of food" to the mix I don't think the inherent behaviour of the animals are affected much if at all. All it does is that it brings people and sharks in proximity more often.

Not necessarily so. I've spent a great deal of time in the mountains, and owned a parcel of land that I shared with a resident black bear sow for more than a dozen years. We saw each other several times, and had one rather close encounter, and she never bothered me. In fact, every time she realized I could see her, she ran away.

Wild animals are ... with very few exceptions ... not inclined to interact with humans unless there is either food or a perceived threat involved ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Deefstes]

Not necessarily so. I've spent a great deal of time in the mountains, and owned a parcel of land that I shared with a resident black bear sow for more than a dozen years. We saw each other several times, and had one rather close encounter, and she never bothered me. In fact, every time she realized I could see her, she ran away.

Wild animals are ... with very few exceptions ... not inclined to interact with humans unless there is either food or a perceived threat involved ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

OK, I stand corrected. The point I was originally trying to make though was that, despite what our logic tells us and despite anecdotal evidence, until there is published studies proving that chumming equates to more shark attacks on humans I will dismiss sweeping statements such as those posted by gordongreaves above as hogwash.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

OK, I stand corrected. The point I was originally trying to make though was that, despite what our logic tells us and despite anecdotal evidence, until there is published studies proving that chumming equates to more shark attacks on humans I will dismiss sweeping statements such as those posted by gordongreaves above as hogwash.

Problem is that an animal may be acting on an instinct that tells it there's food available ... and when a human gets hurt, that translates into "attack". The animal wasn't, in fact, attacking anyone ... it was going for dinner. Our interaction often just influences how the animal defines "dinner" ... or maybe we just got in the way ... but in either case, if we hadn't been attempting to feed the animal, the human probably would not have gotten hurt.

I'm often asked about sharks by non-divers. My standard response is that I don't worry about them ... we're not on their menu ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Hatul]

All
I'd like to pass my condolences on to all those involved, both the injured party and the team at Blue Wilderness. I had the pleasure of diving with Mark and his team early this year, and it was the highlight of my 6 month stay in SA.
Having a tiger shark swim by within a hands-breadth was a moment I'll cherish forever.
Having seen at first hand the professional way the outfit was run, I can only concur with the view that it was one of those 'freak accidents' - in much the same way that it would be if, say, a lion in Kruger mauled a visitor in an open-top vehicle.
I too hope there are no adverse effects on either the shark population, or the wider environment, as a consequence of this.
It would be interesting to find out at some point if there were any other physical or behavioural factors that may have precipitated this attack.
best wishes
h.

When we go hiking we don't go around "baiting" bears or mountain lions, and those who do feed bears risk getting bitten. I'm surprised more people are not bitten in such dives.

Adam

 

[InTheDrink]

When we go hiking we don't go around "baiting" bears or mountain lions, and those who do feed bears risk getting bitten. I'm surprised more people are not bitten in such dives.

Adam

Well that's the thing isn't it. How many baited dives are there per year? How many divers on those dives? How many get bitten?

The answer for the first two questions is LOTS. The answer for the last is HARDLY ANY.

It's not exactly firm data but it does suggest to me that shark baited diving doesn't put us on the menu and doesn't significantly increase the risk in diving.

YMMV of course.

J

 

[Deefstes]

Well that's the thing isn't it. How many baited dives are there per year? How many divers on those dives? How many get bitten?

The answer for the first two questions is LOTS. The answer for the last is HARDLY ANY.

It's not exactly firm data but it does suggest to me that shark baited diving doesn't put us on the menu and doesn't significantly increase the risk in diving.

YMMV of course.

J

I couldn't have said it better. Despite what your logic might tell you, and despite what analogies with grizzly bears might lead you to deduce, until there is hard data available you simply can't make a claim with any authority that chumming increases the risk of shark attacks.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

As long as the shark bait did not get spilled on the divers gear, then leaving a trail for the shark to attack the diver going for chum.

 

[Hatul]

Well that's the thing isn't it. How many baited dives are there per year? How many divers on those dives? How many get bitten?

The answer for the first two questions is LOTS. The answer for the last is HARDLY ANY.

It's not exactly firm data but it does suggest to me that shark baited diving doesn't put us on the menu and doesn't significantly increase the risk in diving.

YMMV of course.

J

I have another interpretation of this. The ocean is a very large place and chances are the sharks baited one time are not the same ones you bait the next time. Those that are baited are affected, as we know all animals learn, and the lesson here is: humans are associated with easy food-- a bad lesson for someone who happens to come in proximity with the same shark, as the shark is no longer indifferent to humans.

Adam

 

[Deefstes]

I have another interpretation of this. The ocean is a very large place and chances are the sharks baited one time are not the same ones you bait the next time. Those that are baited are affected, as we know all animals learn, and the lesson here is: humans are associated with easy food-- a bad lesson for someone who happens to come in proximity with the same shark, as the shark is no longer indifferent to humans

And, could you point us to the peer reviewed study that proves this?

 

[Splitlip]

I've read a number of statements by "experts" in the field who have stated that baiting sharks does indeed change their behavior and conditions them to associate humans with food. Do a google. I believe even George Burgess has made similar statements.

As any Jupiter hunter will tell you, you can attract sharks simply by snapping the bands on a spear gun. The Bulls in particular have learned to associate the snap of the bands with food.

Baited dives... IMHO