Thread: Young men in a tinny commended after Perth shark attack.

Why is it that whenever there is a shark attack it is nearly always blamed on a great white by people that have most likely never seen a great white before and the notion of a tiger shark and a great white working together is "novel".
I crayfished professionally for many years and at this time of year there is a large concentration of whaler sharks along the west coast corrosponding with the "Whites" run which is the annual migration of crayfish that travel over the continental shelf at this time of year.

Originally Posted by trout1105

Why is it that whenever there is a shark attack it is nearly always blamed on a great white by people that have most likely never seen a great white before and the notion of a tiger shark and a great white working together is "novel".
I crayfished professionally for many years and at this time of year there is a large concentration of whaler sharks along the west coast corrosponding with the "Whites" run which is the annual migration of crayfish that travel over the continental shelf at this time of year.

I spent plenty of time on the East & West coast, and I've seen plenty of Tiger & white sharks. Never seen them hunting together, in a pack. One time off the Kimberley coast, we boarded about 70 or 80 FFV's overnight, the Skipper took us into a group of islands, the Montgomery islands I believe, where we were to rest up before doing it all again the next night. Whilst there the usual shark bait was set by the usual suspects, and later in the day a huge Tiger was caught, his belly full of turtle .The shark had followed the turtle migration to the beach to lay eggs. I suggest there is a difference between sharks working together, and every shark in the area following a trawler pushing bycatch over the side. And these sharks weren't on the continental shelf, they were 50 yards from the beach. I still say it is highly unusual to see those two species working together. Which makes me think that in the excitement of the moment, the witnesses perhaps got it wrong. Not a hard thing to do, up close & personal to one of those beasts. Still, the young men did a good job.

Another possible scenario is both sharks were coincidentally stalking the same prey.

I'm waiting to see what length the shark ends up. They seem to grow half a metre a day, according to the media.

Originally Posted by Saitch

I'm waiting to see what length the shark ends up. They seem to grow half a metre a day, according to the media.

Newsreading fishermen?

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Newsreading fishermen?

Fisherman who can read ..amazing how things have changed....

Guessing the 2nd shark was attracted by the initial attack but guess we will never know.

Bulletman

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Newsreading fishermen?

Makes about as much sense as fishreading newsmen.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Another possible scenario is both sharks were coincidentally stalking the same prey.

A study of great whites by boffins from Durban found that female whites travelled from Durban to the WA Coast, from there went to a known white shark habitat off the SA coast, presumedly to mate. The migration down the west coast coincided with the annual migration south of the hump whales & their calves. Tigers have been known to stalk their prey, one case I know of was off the North Qld coast, where a trawler went down, and two men & a woman went in the water, with a large esky. A tiger stalked the trio, taking one, and the skipper of the trawler swam off to draw the shark away, to save the woman. He was the brother of a mate, Spud Murphy. The tiger stalked them for a couple of days. Whites, on the other hand, are said to be opportunistic, they just go for the kill. I've seen them in action amongst the seals of Bass Strait. Powerful and explosive action is their go. Neither one will get me, unless they can fit up the bath plug drain.