Photos showing a 2.5-metre-long tiger shark in the water alongside swimmers have been described as “incredible” by an ocean predator expert. They were taken a week ago at Exmouth on the North West Cape of Western Australia by a woman fishing off a jetty.
The photographer, Phame Hobbs, told Yahoo News her family left the water to join her and get a better look at the shark, but other swimmers and snorkellers stayed put, something she described as “surreal”.
“The thing that amazed me the most was that the shark at one point went directly towards a man and woman in the water – it swam right up to them,” she said.
“And then it seemed to realise they weren’t fish and turned around.
“Really, he was looking for people who had caught a large fish on the jetty – he was there to steal.”
Witnesses reported that the shark only showed interest in stealing fish. Source: Phame Hobbs
The swimmers didn’t seem afraid of the shark, with some advising they’d seen it circle the area earlier in the day.
Similar behaviour was witnessed last year in Byron Bay, when a group of divers jumped in the water to film sharks feeding on a bait ball, worrying other beachgoers.
At Exmouth, Hobbs was also concerned for the safety of those in the water, particularly as fish were thrashing about on the lines of anglers nearby.
Last year, a dusky shark, a species previously thought harmless to humans, was confirmed to have killed a tourist in Israel.
Analysis of the April incident in the journal Ethology concluded one “bold shark” likely bit the snorkeler’s GoPro camera, and this “triggered a feeding frenzy” of predation bites that overrode normal behaviour.
Shark encounter highlights importance of healthy environments
Dr Leonardo Guida from the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said the images represent one of the thousands of times people have been in the water with sharks, and they’ve shown no interest in attacking.
“They showcase another side of an animal that we otherwise tend to immediately associate with fear,” he said.
“But that being said, it is a wild animal, and fear is a perfectly natural evolutionary response.
“We have to keep ourselves safe, and so if there is a wild animal like a large shark in the water, it probably is best to exert a bit of caution, and perhaps alert the appropriate authorities.”
It is estimated that the shark was around 2.5 metres long. Source: Phame Hobbs
The entire Exmouth Gulf was declared a marine park by the Western Australian government last year, a decision AMCS welcomed.
Guida said the images highlight why it’s essential to protect healthy ocean environments, as they benefit both marine animals and tourists interested in seeing animals in their natural habitat.
“They’re incredible photos,” he said.
“Whenever you see an animal in the wild, particularly something like a tiger shark, it’s going to blow anyone’s mind, as they hold a really unique place in the human psyche.
“The fact that the person who took this photo wants to share their story, wants to share their experience, these are the hallmarks are truly wild and magical places that draw people to places like Exmouth.”
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