‘SHARKMAN’
DOCUMENTARY ON DISCOVERY’S SHARK WEEK
 |
For viewers
in the UK don’t miss the chance
to watch SHARK DIVING UNLIMITED’S
MIKE RUTZEN featured on Channel 5’s
THE MAN WHO SWIMS WITH JAWS, (TUESDAY
26TH FEBURARY). This film follows Mike
on his journey to explore the phenomena
of tonic immobility on sharks. Shot on
location in the BLUE PLANET AQUARIUM,
BIMINI SHARK LAB, GRAND BAHAMAS, KWA-ZULU
NATAL and GANSBAAI we see Mike working
up close with raggy tooth sharks, lemon
sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, tiger sharks
and of course the great white sharks.The documentary SHARKMAN is also being broadcast on the Discovery Channel Network. |
CLICK HERE
TO READ MORE ABOUT ‘SHARKMAN’
Also visit Shark Diving Unlimited at the SPORT
DIVER stand at the London International Dives
Show (LIDS), at the Excel Centre March 8th and
9th.
LATEST RESEARCH
In
June 2007 SHARK DIVING UNLIMITED successfully
aided MCM on a scientific DNA project of the great
white sharks in Gansbaai. In one day 33 individual
animals were photographically identified and 8
samples of tissuse for DNA analysis were collected.
In a recent scientific paper, (published in The
Marine Ecology Progress Series Vol. 338: 199-209,
2007), the results of a study into the effects
of great white shark ecotourism has drawn the
conclusion that chumming for great white sharks
does not condition the sharks or change their
behaviour. It is a common concern that chumming
for great white sharks encourages the sharks to
associate boats, cages and possibly even divers
with food.
The
best analogy to dispel this myth is to compare
the cage diving situation to a lion safari where
clients watch the lions feed on a carcass from
the safety of a Landrover. The lions do not see
the individual people as potential food but view
the entire the vehicle and passengers as one entity
- most likely a non-threatening predator. However
the important difference between these two situations
is that great white shark operators do not intentionally
feed great white sharks.
The
scientists conclude that the evidence shows that,
‘although great white sharks do respond to an
attractant (chum), …that they are equally able
to ignore the stimulus, and thus are not mindless
killing machines they are so often portrayed to
be’. This is good news for the ecotourism industry
and the sharks!
DRUMLINES
Unfortunately in June 2007 the Kwa-Zulu Natal’s
Shark Board caught two great white sharks on their
drumlines. One shark (pictured), weighed 725kg
whilst the smaller shark weighed in at about half
of this. Drumlines are replacing the 40km of shark
nets which line the popular swimming beaches along
the Kwa-Zulu Natal tourist destinations. It is
well known that the nets indiscriminately kill
turtles, dolphins, whales and many species of
shark - most of which pose no danger to humans.
The alternative method is to place drumlines which
are baited to specifically target sharks - particularly
great white sharks. Considering great white sharks
are a protected species in South African waters
we wonder firstly how effective this is in protecting
bathers and also a species which is extremely
vulnerable to extinction!
In
1994 South Africa was the first country in the
world to protect the great white shark. However
the Kwa-Zulu Natal Sharks Board are still permitted
by Marine and Coastal Management to target and
kill great white sharks - which raises the question
exactly how well are these magnificant animals
being protected here?
