Why Are they Shooting Sharks in Australia ?

[harmonytek]

My TV understanding (from some documentary about a Killer Whale killing a Great White off of the coast of California called "The whale that ate the shark") is that the smell of dead shark is a good shark repellant, at least for Great Whites.

Regarding bears, I too reached an understanding. If I don't sleep directly under the backpack I hung up out of reach, they won't stand over me and wake me in the middle of the night (young and stupid).

[captain58sailin]

I saw that footage, it appears that the Orcas have learned that if you turn a Great White on it's back and hold it there for a bit, the GW acts like it has gone to sleep, then you can kill it and eat it. I think some of the Orcas off Australia are doing the same thing or was it South Africa, I forget, old timers disease.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

"stupid Americans"?? No one finds that offensive??

Consider the source!

[CoastalCowboy]

Shraks do what sharks do and they will continue to do what they do no matter how many of them we kill, unless of course we kill all of them. As some of the other posts pointed out, they have very small brains. Unlike humans, there will be no deterrent effect on the surviving sharks by killing a few (then again, there doesn't seem to be a deterrent with humans either). It is too bad that the man got killed. On the other hand, people do tend to get killed when they go in other predators' hunting grounds and don't know enough, or pay attention enough, to obey the rules. Bears, big cats, wolves, etc get killed when they come into our territory and don't obey the rules, it follows that we get killed when we go in their territory and don't obey the rules.

Oh, BTW. In regards to the post regarding how many witches you see these days after the witch hunts. You see them every day, they just don't wear pointy hats. You probably know several and just don't know it.

[hellosailor]

Chief, the only reason I'd agree with you is that shooting sharks is lamebrained. Hand grenades require less marksmanship and the concussion is way more effective than bullets.

There's only room for one terminal predator in any ecosystem. In the water, sharks are usually it. Looking like seals isn't relevant, if people want to go in the water, sooner or later sharks will try to eat them. Your choice is whether you want them or you to be the one terminal predator.

Ecology? Yeah, that's nice. Explain it to the big critter with all the pointy teeth.

They got one that's been snacking on humans and surf boards, and there's a nice lucrative market for shark fin soup.

Once you get the sharks to sign the non-aggression contract, I'll rethink it. Oh, I do hope that works out better than, who was it? Chamberlain's agreement with Hitler?

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by CoastalCowboy

Shraks do what sharks do and they will continue to do what they do no matter how many of them we kill, unless of course we kill all of them.

This isn't true. Shark's learn new behaviors and the point of killing a maneater is that it will eat humans again whereas most sharks don't. The same thing holds true with feeding sharks. They learn to associate food with people and will change behavioral patterns to adjust, often resulting in what could be called accidental shark attacks. These animals have learned a behavior that isn't typical of the species and killing them is the solution. The idea that sharks are simply killing machines has no basis in reality.

[bill good]

This reminded of how my Dad would say (old WW2 solder) "if you want shark protection get a tattoo on your left arm We won the war & on the right Stars & Strips. He reasoned that no self respecting Australian shark would swallow that!!"

I find baby sharks are OK Its only the adults that have some nasty habits.

[Phisher]

Originally Posted by hummingway

This isn't true. Shark's learn new behaviors and the point of killing a maneater is that it will eat humans again whereas most sharks don't. The same thing holds true with feeding sharks. They learn to associate food with people and will change behavioral patterns to adjust, often resulting in what could be called accidental shark attacks. These animals have learned a behavior that isn't typical of the species and killing them is the solution. The idea that sharks are simply killing machines has no basis in reality.

Bingo! It is a risk you take when you enter their domain. Killing them is not the solution. You have a greater chance of dying behind the wheel of your car.

[Ironhorse74]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

To protect the tourism industry. A N American tourist got attacked by a shark, I think. Maybe they taste better than Aussies?

I used to have an Aussie girlfriend. Australians taste way better than Americans

[Shallow Runner]

Culling of sharks is an asinine solution to this. You enter the water you are in their territory and assume that risk. I am an active diver and spearfisherman and have had my share of shark encounters but that is the risk. I saw a great video that other day and had a chance to meet with Guy Harvey and speak about sharks and it has been shown that an attack on humans is always accidental as they have no interest in eating us any more than a bear in Yellowstone does; but it does happen. Now I study Marine Sciences in Grad School and can attest that sharks do not have small brains and in fact their brains to body mass ratio is higher than most other fish and is comparable to many other vertebrates, including some mammals and they show signs of high intelligence; their eyesight however is limited comparatively. It's always sad when this happens and I feel for the loved ones but that is nature and we are a part of that; though we seem to forget that sometimes.

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

Where is the donation button for the "Save the Sharks Foundation"?

Here's my favorite one: Sharks - Sea Shepherd


They don't try to protect Divers Dressed Like Seals - I guess because they are not endangered.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by CoastalCowboy

Shraks do what sharks do and they will continue to do what they do no matter how many of them we kill, unless of course we kill all of them. As some of the other posts pointed out, they have very small brains. Unlike humans, there will be no deterrent effect on the surviving sharks by killing a few (then again, there doesn't seem to be a deterrent with humans either). It is too bad that the man got killed. On the other hand, people do tend to get killed when they go in other predators' hunting grounds and don't know enough, or pay attention enough, to obey the rules. Bears, big cats, wolves, etc get killed when they come into our territory and don't obey the rules, it follows that we get killed when we go in their territory and don't obey the rules.

Oh, BTW. In regards to the post regarding how many witches you see these days after the witch hunts. You see them every day, they just don't wear pointy hats. You probably know several and just don't know it.

I can vouch for this... I even married a couple of them

[impi]

These great whites are only getting warmed up. In south africa we see them regularly - much more than ever before. They are protected for tourism purposes mostly. Cage diving is a big magnet and so the waters are continuously chummed with blood and meat. Sharks now associate humans with food !!!!!
We will definately be hearing of more deaths by shark attack - humans have made sure they are no longer in a 'natural habitat'.
Won't be surprised if the minister for tourism gets a law suit one day when someone looses a limb or life!
I sail these waters an dive with tanks. These thing are becoming a BUGE threat!
Personally would love to see them less.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by ahnutts!

I think Americans have taken too much heat in this thread, its the Ausies who have the
problem.Venomous snake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saltwater crocodile - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Box jellyfish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blue-ringed octopus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Synanceia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Australian funnel-web spider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Even the Wallaby can be deadly
Wallabies and bats harbor 'fossil' genes from the most deadly family of human viruses

It's a scary,scary place

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Shallow Runner

It's always sad when this happens and I feel for the loved ones but that is nature and we are a part of that; though we seem to forget that sometimes.

But somehow the "part of nature" thing only applies one way? I am not going to be surrendering to Animals - let alone fish