Whale shark abuse...

[Vie]

Unbelievable...

Two divers "riding" a whale shark, one diver holding a spear gun (whilst scuba diving)...

http://www.hi5.com/friend/video/dis...ntry=0&categoryCode=0&searchText=scuba+diving


Can anything be done to stop this kind of behaviour?

 

[bvmjethead]

I fail to see how this is anything more than a minor annoyance to the WS.

These two men ARE going a bit farther than most would deem acceptable but abuse is a strong word for what I see.

 

[docmartin]

i thought the guy with the spear was trying to protect the whale shark.

seriously, with 200,000 sharks getting killed every day the (whale) sharks have more serious issues to worry about. sadly, their best shot at salvation may be more people who consider it good fun to ride their fins rather than eat them.

 

[Bubble Junky]

I fail to see how this is anything more than a minor annoyance to the WS.

their best shot at salvation may be more people who consider it good fun to ride their fins rather than eat them.

By touching whale sharks you can remove a protective film that coats the animal, thus opening it up to infection, which is not good for the animal at all. 'Riding' sea animals is in no way beneficial to the animals.

 

[Vie]

Contact with the whale shark's skin may cause damage, making the animal susceptible to infections. Aggressive interaction may also drive the shark away, spoiling the chance of encounter for other divers.

 

[OceanObsessed]

Bony fish have a mucous over their scales but sharks have hard placoid scales which gives their skin a sandpaper texture.

I have heard the argument many times that whalesharks have a protective “film" or “coating” and touching them can remove this and cause infection. Is there really any evidence of this? I have no idea whether this is true or not but I am more inclined to believe this is more of an urban legend than anything else.

Also, if it is so harmful for them to be touched then what about the dozens of remoras that are constantly attaching and reattaching 24/7 throughought the whalesharks life? If touching them is harmful then it seems like this would cause more harm than a diver touching them.

I am not picking sides or trying to stir things up… just curious as to what the truth is.
Do whalesharks really have this pretective "film" or "coating" ? Considering they are sharks... it seems like they would not.
Are they really that susceptible to infection by touching the placoid scales?

Can some of our fish experts shed some light on this?

 

[sarita75]

I just think it is a bit ignorant - but then again, I question why some divers don't look where they are going (bumping into fragile corrals, other divers, etc). There seems to be, with some divers, a reckless disregard for nature and the creatures whose homes WE are entering when we go diving.

 

[bvmjethead]

I would think it OK to grab the dorsal fin and go for a ride, however even I think that straddling that animal is a bit over the top.

M concern is more for the choice of words used in the first post, abuse is a STRONG word. Pimp slapping your wife is abuse, bothering a WS who has every means of escaping is not abuse in my book. Having said that if I was the DM on that dive, I would have sternly corrected the two divers for the level of activity they displayed.

I'm pretty sure that WS is perfectly fine. In fact I'd bet on it.

 

[Vie]

I would think it OK to grab the dorsal fin and go for a ride

Sure, in the '50s/'60s when Jacques Cousteau was still around maybe...

M concern is more for the choice of words used in the first post, abuse is a STRONG word. Pimp slapping your wife is abuse, bothering a WS who has every means of escaping is not abuse in my book.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/abuse

a·buse

2. to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way.

8. bad or improper treatment; maltreatment.

 

[getwet2]

Can anything be done to stop this kind of behaviour?

Shoot all Whale Shark riders with their own spear gun!