Shark attack!
- Thread starter John F
- Start date
WalkersKiller
Senior Member
Jeeze that is scary, when i went to ponta a few years back we were swimming pretty far out, i wonder what it was!?
Unbelievable! I have been searching all news sites for info and guess where this story broke first?... Sealine!
Also been following this, have had reports from a few folk in Ponta. Seems like it may have been a 2.2-metre tiger shark which had already been seen in the bay by a lot of people. It had been in the area a while and then attacked the bather who was in the shorebreak in turbulent, churned up water.
From what I understand he was bitten more than once by the same shark. Obviously I am not there so John F please keep us posted it is your hood.
Very, very sad for the man's family. I saw a twitter post from his uncle needing to raise R60K for some expenses so am sure there will be some fundraising efforts to follow.
Let's all keep each other posted.
Also been following this, have had reports from a few folk in Ponta. Seems like it may have been a 2.2-metre tiger shark which had already been seen in the bay by a lot of people. It had been in the area a while and then attacked the bather who was in the shorebreak in turbulent, churned up water.
From what I understand he was bitten more than once by the same shark. Obviously I am not there so John F please keep us posted it is your hood.
Very, very sad for the man's family. I saw a twitter post from his uncle needing to raise R60K for some expenses so am sure there will be some fundraising efforts to follow.
Let's all keep each other posted.
strandloper
Senior Member
Crazy!!
We used to go out onto the "backline" to get some waves and I spent many a late afternoon and early morning wading there with the fly rod!
Scary stuff!?
We used to go out onto the "backline" to get some waves and I spent many a late afternoon and early morning wading there with the fly rod!
Scary stuff!?
Been fishing this area for going on 7 years now. This was the first year we really noticed a lot of tiger sharks in the area. Normally we get plauged by Greys and Zambezi's, but this year it was huge Tigers. Never saw any in the bays or shallows though. Most were seen out on malongane ledge and at pinnacles. We lost a lot of fish and takle to the tigers.
http://www.zigzag.co.za/news/enviro/824/Ponta-d'Ouro-Shark-Attack
A shark has attacked a 27 year old diver from Rustenburg yesterday afternoon at the world-class surfing point of Ponta d'Ouro in Mozambique. Speaking to Zigzag earlier today, Sasha Clark, a keen surfer, diver and resident of Ponta told us that the attack was not too severe.
"We think it was a small Black Tip or Raggie, If it had been a Great White, Zambezi or Tiger it would have been a far different story."
"The attack happened right after the guy was offloaded onto a shallow sand bank near the shore. When he began wading in the shark moved in for the first bite. The shark hit him on the shoulder and when he tried to fend it off it snapped onto his hand. He managed to ward the shark off and return to shore, but not before a final bite to his leg."
The victim was lifted by private helicopter to hospital in Richards Bay shortly after the incident.
The last serious shark attack at the point took place in 1998 when KZN provincial surfer Roberto Zornada was bitten on the foot by a Zambezi.
"Contrary to earlier reports, the victim did not lose an arm or leg," says Geremy Cliff, head researcher of the KZN Sharks Board. "At this stage it is difficult to determine what shark was responsible, but we suspect a Zambezi as they are often seen by divers on the deeper reefs off Ponta d’Ouro."
Life has already returning to normal at the popular Mozambique tourist spot with surfers, bathers and divers back in the water this morning.
A shark has attacked a 27 year old diver from Rustenburg yesterday afternoon at the world-class surfing point of Ponta d'Ouro in Mozambique. Speaking to Zigzag earlier today, Sasha Clark, a keen surfer, diver and resident of Ponta told us that the attack was not too severe.
"We think it was a small Black Tip or Raggie, If it had been a Great White, Zambezi or Tiger it would have been a far different story."
"The attack happened right after the guy was offloaded onto a shallow sand bank near the shore. When he began wading in the shark moved in for the first bite. The shark hit him on the shoulder and when he tried to fend it off it snapped onto his hand. He managed to ward the shark off and return to shore, but not before a final bite to his leg."
The victim was lifted by private helicopter to hospital in Richards Bay shortly after the incident.
The last serious shark attack at the point took place in 1998 when KZN provincial surfer Roberto Zornada was bitten on the foot by a Zambezi.
"Contrary to earlier reports, the victim did not lose an arm or leg," says Geremy Cliff, head researcher of the KZN Sharks Board. "At this stage it is difficult to determine what shark was responsible, but we suspect a Zambezi as they are often seen by divers on the deeper reefs off Ponta d’Ouro."
Life has already returning to normal at the popular Mozambique tourist spot with surfers, bathers and divers back in the water this morning.
It still fascinates me how Sealine picks up on these things first.
John F thanks for your report. Unfortunately some very irresponsible media including The Times and Radio 702 and sadly one of my local radio shows picked up on the story and reported absolute nonsense about the poor victim Pete having lost his arm and leg can you imagine how insensitive this is to Pete's family?! Also how it adds to the terror and hysteria of the attack.
I have been following his uncle on Twitter and his latest update was: Pete was in surgery for 4hrs15 min. His left hand had 3 tendons that were almost totally severed. Other wounds stiched up. Will keep u posed about 8 hours ago from web
One radio news bulletin was saying people must only swim at beaches with drumlines and nets. Do they even know what drumlines are??? Not sure if it makes sense to hop in near them if you are hoping to avoid seeing sharks. They never mentioned anything about swimming in dirty water which we have plenty of at the moment in KZN. All holidaymakers will be heading off to places like Scottburgh which has chocolate brown water because it has nets. Such rubbish!
How did the news agencies get it so wrong?!!! I also heard that people were encouraged to find and destroy this "killer shark" in Mozambique by the authorities. John F is this true? If so how the hell will they pull that one off when they dont even know what shark it was? How many sharks will have to be killed before people are satisfied?
Sharks live in the sea, I am always amazed and slightly amused when people come out of the water and say hysterically "I saw a shark" or I know someone that saw a shark once when he/ she was surfing. What were they expecting to see - a handbag??? No one comes out disturbed after seeing things that shouldn't be in the sea e.g. vast amounts of litter. Sharks live in the sea and 99% of the time have absolutely nothing to do with us.
I find this whole thing tragic for Pete and for all sharks. Please watch this space though because Pete's family may need assistance fundraising for Pete's medical bills. Apparently a R60K deposit was required before he could be admitted to hospital. So please pray for his family and his swift recovery.
On a lighter note I'd like to wish all Sealiners a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your families
John F thanks for your report. Unfortunately some very irresponsible media including The Times and Radio 702 and sadly one of my local radio shows picked up on the story and reported absolute nonsense about the poor victim Pete having lost his arm and leg can you imagine how insensitive this is to Pete's family?! Also how it adds to the terror and hysteria of the attack.
I have been following his uncle on Twitter and his latest update was: Pete was in surgery for 4hrs15 min. His left hand had 3 tendons that were almost totally severed. Other wounds stiched up. Will keep u posed about 8 hours ago from web
One radio news bulletin was saying people must only swim at beaches with drumlines and nets. Do they even know what drumlines are??? Not sure if it makes sense to hop in near them if you are hoping to avoid seeing sharks. They never mentioned anything about swimming in dirty water which we have plenty of at the moment in KZN. All holidaymakers will be heading off to places like Scottburgh which has chocolate brown water because it has nets. Such rubbish!
How did the news agencies get it so wrong?!!! I also heard that people were encouraged to find and destroy this "killer shark" in Mozambique by the authorities. John F is this true? If so how the hell will they pull that one off when they dont even know what shark it was? How many sharks will have to be killed before people are satisfied?
Sharks live in the sea, I am always amazed and slightly amused when people come out of the water and say hysterically "I saw a shark" or I know someone that saw a shark once when he/ she was surfing. What were they expecting to see - a handbag??? No one comes out disturbed after seeing things that shouldn't be in the sea e.g. vast amounts of litter. Sharks live in the sea and 99% of the time have absolutely nothing to do with us.
I find this whole thing tragic for Pete and for all sharks. Please watch this space though because Pete's family may need assistance fundraising for Pete's medical bills. Apparently a R60K deposit was required before he could be admitted to hospital. So please pray for his family and his swift recovery.
On a lighter note I'd like to wish all Sealiners a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your families
OJ wrote:
OJ, it's been nice having you aboard Sealine the last few months... you've added a breath (make that a storm!) of fresh air to ESA and it's production, for which we are all very chuffed and thankful for!
Sealine and it's members wish you Happy Holidayz and a New Year filled with Love, laughter and happiness!
We are the eyes and ears of the Angling community. Anything happening in the Ocean...? You'll find it first on Sealine... our active members are pretty passionate people...
On a lighter note I'd like to wish all Sealiners a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your families
OJ, it's been nice having you aboard Sealine the last few months... you've added a breath (make that a storm!) of fresh air to ESA and it's production, for which we are all very chuffed and thankful for!
Sealine and it's members wish you Happy Holidayz and a New Year filled with Love, laughter and happiness!
Not wanting to sound insensitive,but, to me it sounds like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Typical of the media to rip the water out from under the duck's arse. Sensasionalism is what sells!!! A buddy of mine was bitten by a GW in 1991 at Koeel Bay in Western Cape while surfing and he was ,acording to Die Burger newspaper "bitten in half by a monster shark". He was actually bitten on the leg and has a chunk of flesh missing on his upperleg. Funny how a "bitten in half" person can still walk around till today!!! He received counselling after the attack and is joking about it today. The surfboard ,with a 48cm bite out of it , is displayed with pride over his bar! Not many people can beat that!!He received a second chance in life
Hope all is well with Pete. Remember: "chicks dig scars"
Brian
Hope all is well with Pete. Remember: "chicks dig scars"
Brian
wp34 wrote:
Jeepers Brian that is hectic! Also really insensitive and lame. It is obvious that "Jaws" is going to take a long time to work its way out of people's minds.
BTW think Radio 702 were to blame in this instance. Our local radio show ECR has been amazing about doing damage control today for their reports yesterday but I wonder how many people will know as different people would have tuned in today.
It surprises me what a blind panic the words "shark attack" causes and strangely enough no one bats an eyelid listening to the fact that we have had 619 road deaths so far this season according to www.iol.co.za and 90% of them are caused by human error.
Anyway enough ranting from me it's the holidays so merry, merry for tonight and tomorrow
Jeepers Brian that is hectic! Also really insensitive and lame. It is obvious that "Jaws" is going to take a long time to work its way out of people's minds.
BTW think Radio 702 were to blame in this instance. Our local radio show ECR has been amazing about doing damage control today for their reports yesterday but I wonder how many people will know as different people would have tuned in today.
It surprises me what a blind panic the words "shark attack" causes and strangely enough no one bats an eyelid listening to the fact that we have had 619 road deaths so far this season according to www.iol.co.za and 90% of them are caused by human error.
Anyway enough ranting from me it's the holidays so merry, merry for tonight and tomorrow
WalkersKiller
Senior Member
Reefman wrote:
OJ wrote:
We are the eyes and ears of the Angling community. Anything happening in the Ocean...? You'll find it first on Sealine... our active members are pretty passionate people...On a lighter note I'd like to wish all Sealiners a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your families
OJ, it's been nice having you aboard Sealine the last few months... you've added a breath (make that a storm!) of fresh air to ESA and it's production, for which we are all very chuffed and thankful for!
Sealine and it's members wish you Happy Holidayz and a New Year filled with Love, laughter and happiness!
Reefman wrote:
Reefman, you guys are the eyes of South Africa, not just the angling community. Sealine is like an all-knowing all-seeing news source. It's great, especially for my line of work to be a member and catch the breaking news
Sealine seriously rocks! All of you add so much value so thank you (to the site owners, moderators and members).
There is never a dull moment on here and its good to debate about stuff and try to problem solve and share advice.
Anyway thank you again for the massive compliments it's made my day (Christmas came early).
May all of you keep safe, have a special time with your families and get heaps of new PBs over the next 2 weeks.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
OJ wrote:
We are the eyes and ears of the Angling community. Anything happening in the Ocean...? You'll find it first on Sealine... our active members are pretty passionate people...On a lighter note I'd like to wish all Sealiners a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your families
OJ, it's been nice having you aboard Sealine the last few months... you've added a breath (make that a storm!) of fresh air to ESA and it's production, for which we are all very chuffed and thankful for!
Sealine and it's members wish you Happy Holidayz and a New Year filled with Love, laughter and happiness!
Reefman, you guys are the eyes of South Africa, not just the angling community. Sealine is like an all-knowing all-seeing news source. It's great, especially for my line of work to be a member and catch the breaking news
Sealine seriously rocks! All of you add so much value so thank you (to the site owners, moderators and members).
There is never a dull moment on here and its good to debate about stuff and try to problem solve and share advice.
Anyway thank you again for the massive compliments it's made my day (Christmas came early).
May all of you keep safe, have a special time with your families and get heaps of new PBs over the next 2 weeks.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
This was in the Beeld newspaper:
Man stamp haai met paddavoet weg ná hy gebyt is2009-12-27 21:49
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Sonja Carstens
Op sy knieë met ’n paddavoet in sy hande het ’n 27-jarige man van Rustenburg ’n uitgevrete Zambezi-haai weggestamp wat hom herhaaldelik gebyt het.
Mnr. Peter James Fraser (27) sal na verwagting vanoggend uit ’n hospitaal in Richardsbaai ontslaan word waar hy aangesterk het ná die haai-aanval verlede Dinsdag in vlakwater in die baai by Ponta d’Ouro in die suide van Mosambiek.
“Hy is gered deur die krag van gebed. Net ná die aanval het hy gedink hy gaan dit nie maak nie, maar hy het my hoor sê hy kan my nie nou agterlaat nie en het besluit om te veg,†het me. Nicolene Latsky (26), Fraser se vriendin wat die aanval aanskou het, gister gesê.
Volgens haar is dokters tevrede met Fraser se vordering. Hy sal waarskynlik nog ’n operasie aan sy linkerhand moet ondergaan.
Fraser het op die gewraakte dag saam met ’n vriend in die see geswem toe hy voel iets stamp aan sy bene, het Latsky gesê.
“Die water was vuilerig, want die wind het die oggend gewaai. Dit was hoogwater en Peter was tot by sy skouers in die water. Hy kon niks in die water sien nie.â€
Volgens haar het Fraser vir ’n tweede keer gevoel hoe iets aan hom stamp en besluit om saam met ’n brander strand toe te swem.
Hy was in water van effens dieper as ’n halfmeter toe die haai hom aangeval het. Hy is seker drie of vier keer gebyt voordat hy die haai met sy hande en die paddavoet weggestamp het, het Latsky vertel.
Volgens haar het Fraser van sy knieë af opgestaan en self uit die water gestrompel voordat hy op die strand ineengestort het. Verskeie omstanders het aan hulle bevestig ’n Zambezi-haai het Fraser aangeval.
“Hy het ’n sny van meer as 20 cm aan die regterkant van sy rug, oor sy regterskouer is daar ’n stuk vleis uitgehap en dan is daar ook stukke vleis uit sy regterboarm, sy regteronderarm, sy bors en sy regterhand, maar hy het geen ledemate verloor nie.â€
Fraser het volgens sy vriendin verskriklik baie bloed verloor. Haar pa, mnr. Kobus Latsky, het hom op sy bakkie gelaai en met hom na ’n noodhulpbeampte gejaag. Vandaar is Fraser met ’n helikopter na Manguzi by Kosibaai in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Hulle kon hom nie behandel nie en hy is na die Empangeni-hospitaal gevlieg waar hy vier en ’n half uur in die teater was om sy wonde te heg. Peter is die volgende dag na ’n hospitaal in Richardsbaai oorgeplaas om te rehabiliteer.â€
Latsky hou al die afgelope sewe jaar in Ponta d’Ouro vakansie en Fraser was al vyf keer daar.
“Van die plaaslike inwoners het aan ons vertel daar was in 1994 laas ’n haai-aanval. Volgens die eienaar van die helikopter wat baaiers die dag van en ná die aanval gewaarsku het, het hy op albei dae Zambezi-haaie in die omgewing van die baai gesien,†het Latsky gesê.
Die Mosambiekse strande het nie haainette nie.
Man stamp haai met paddavoet weg ná hy gebyt is2009-12-27 21:49
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Sonja Carstens
Op sy knieë met ’n paddavoet in sy hande het ’n 27-jarige man van Rustenburg ’n uitgevrete Zambezi-haai weggestamp wat hom herhaaldelik gebyt het.
Mnr. Peter James Fraser (27) sal na verwagting vanoggend uit ’n hospitaal in Richardsbaai ontslaan word waar hy aangesterk het ná die haai-aanval verlede Dinsdag in vlakwater in die baai by Ponta d’Ouro in die suide van Mosambiek.
“Hy is gered deur die krag van gebed. Net ná die aanval het hy gedink hy gaan dit nie maak nie, maar hy het my hoor sê hy kan my nie nou agterlaat nie en het besluit om te veg,†het me. Nicolene Latsky (26), Fraser se vriendin wat die aanval aanskou het, gister gesê.
Volgens haar is dokters tevrede met Fraser se vordering. Hy sal waarskynlik nog ’n operasie aan sy linkerhand moet ondergaan.
Fraser het op die gewraakte dag saam met ’n vriend in die see geswem toe hy voel iets stamp aan sy bene, het Latsky gesê.
“Die water was vuilerig, want die wind het die oggend gewaai. Dit was hoogwater en Peter was tot by sy skouers in die water. Hy kon niks in die water sien nie.â€
Volgens haar het Fraser vir ’n tweede keer gevoel hoe iets aan hom stamp en besluit om saam met ’n brander strand toe te swem.
Hy was in water van effens dieper as ’n halfmeter toe die haai hom aangeval het. Hy is seker drie of vier keer gebyt voordat hy die haai met sy hande en die paddavoet weggestamp het, het Latsky vertel.
Volgens haar het Fraser van sy knieë af opgestaan en self uit die water gestrompel voordat hy op die strand ineengestort het. Verskeie omstanders het aan hulle bevestig ’n Zambezi-haai het Fraser aangeval.
“Hy het ’n sny van meer as 20 cm aan die regterkant van sy rug, oor sy regterskouer is daar ’n stuk vleis uitgehap en dan is daar ook stukke vleis uit sy regterboarm, sy regteronderarm, sy bors en sy regterhand, maar hy het geen ledemate verloor nie.â€
Fraser het volgens sy vriendin verskriklik baie bloed verloor. Haar pa, mnr. Kobus Latsky, het hom op sy bakkie gelaai en met hom na ’n noodhulpbeampte gejaag. Vandaar is Fraser met ’n helikopter na Manguzi by Kosibaai in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Hulle kon hom nie behandel nie en hy is na die Empangeni-hospitaal gevlieg waar hy vier en ’n half uur in die teater was om sy wonde te heg. Peter is die volgende dag na ’n hospitaal in Richardsbaai oorgeplaas om te rehabiliteer.â€
Latsky hou al die afgelope sewe jaar in Ponta d’Ouro vakansie en Fraser was al vyf keer daar.
“Van die plaaslike inwoners het aan ons vertel daar was in 1994 laas ’n haai-aanval. Volgens die eienaar van die helikopter wat baaiers die dag van en ná die aanval gewaarsku het, het hy op albei dae Zambezi-haaie in die omgewing van die baai gesien,†het Latsky gesê.
Die Mosambiekse strande het nie haainette nie.
Guys quick update - I have just spoken to his family and I am issuing a press release on the story with the correct facts for SAPA (SA Press Association) to distribute. Watch this space I promise to post on here once it has been approved by Pete's family. Thanks OJ
PS He is out of hospital from today and on his way home on a flight this very second.
PPS We need to assist with fundraising for his medical bill at the private hospital if anyone is in a position to contribute please contact me.
Thanks, OJ
PS He is out of hospital from today and on his way home on a flight this very second.
PPS We need to assist with fundraising for his medical bill at the private hospital if anyone is in a position to contribute please contact me.
Thanks, OJ
Right guys, thanks for being patient after a looong wait here is the story compiled for SAPA by my writer Rob Evans. We tried to reference as many sources as possible to get an accurate story out please let me know your thoughts on it as there is mention of fishing in it although Mark does point out that he has been in the water around sharks with sardines and there hasn't been an issue. Seems to boil down once again to possibly needing better marine management in the area or even investigating shark spotters in peak season which would work due to the clean viz.... what are your thoughts?
MEDIA STATEMENT
FAMILY OF MOZAMBIQUE SHARK ATTACK VICTIM FRASER SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
_____________________________________________________________________
Tuesday 29 December 2009
For immediate release
The family and girlfriend of shark attack victim Peter James Fraser have set the record straight regarding the facts about the shark attack which occurred in Ponta do Oura last week on Tuesday 22 December. Contrary to reports circulating in local and Mozambiquan print and broadcast media, Fraser did not lose any limbs, although he did sustain 6 injuries of varying severity from his encounter with the 2-metre shark, which has been tentatively identified as a juvenile Tiger shark.
Fraser, 27, and his girlfriend Nicolene Latsky, both from Rustenburg, were holidaying in the Mozambiquan tourist hotspot of Ponta Do Oura. At approximately 16h30 on the day of the attack, Fraser was swimming in the bay and caught a wave to shore. As he was exiting the shallow murky water, he felt something bump his leg. Thinking it was his girlfriend playing the fool, he thought nothing of it. However, the inquisitive shark came back at him, biting him on the right knee and causing him to fall to his knees in the half a metre of water.
The shark came at him again from his right hand side, biting him beneath the right shoulder and again on his back on the right hand side. The worst of his injuries were sustained when he fended the shark off with both his hands. The shark bit down on his hands, resulting in deep cuts across all of his knuckles on his left hand, almost severing through three tendons on the top of his fingers.
His right hand sustained less severe lacerations. Peter then exited the water unassisted, where he was treated by a female paramedic who was on holiday at the same location.
Latsky said that “I have never had a fright like that in my life!†According to Latsky, “the attack really took us by surprise because Peter was in such shallow water, the shark’s back and dorsal fin were completely out of the waterâ€. She also said that “there were many other bathers around, there was even a man with a lilo right next to Pete, with another 100-150 people swimming in the bay. In the minutes before the attack, we saw small fish jumping out the water quite near to us but did not consider that it was because a shark was nearâ€. Soon after the attack, it was heard that a group of divers had begun to warn other bathers that they had witnessed a shark chasing a small school of fish into the shallows of the bay.
Latsky said that “we were lucky to find someone in Ponta Do Oura who owned a helicopter, and he flew us directly to the border. Pete was then transported by ambulance to the local Manguzi hospital in Kosi Bay where he was stabilised. From there he travelled by ambulance to Ngwelezana Hospital in Empangeni. Finally, from there he travelled once again by ambulance to The Bay Hospital in Richards Bay where he was on a drip with antibiotics for 4 days to prevent infection. We are so grateful to the pilot for taking Pete across the border as it was a very serious situation with Pete losing a lot of blood. Once at the Empangeni hospital we had quite a lengthy wait before Pete could get into theatre, but once he was in there the doctors did a fantastic job during the four and a half hour surgeryâ€.
Peter was released from hospital yesterday (28 December), and flew back to Gauteng from Richards Bay.
Fraser, who is said to be in good spirits despite being in quite some pain, will require at least one more operation to reattach the partially severed tendons in his left hand. The mounting medical bills will be a concern for Peter, who has recently started a small supply business, and whose medical aid expired only three months ago. He has already incurred costs in the region of R30 000 that he is aware of, and still has no idea of what the helicopter costs will be. It is estimated that he will probably incur another R20 000 in aftercare and rehabilitation costs, and if additional surgery is required to the tendons and or any skin grafts this could be substantially higher.
Despite the attack, Latsky says Fraser “does not blame the shark in any way. When we swim in the ocean, we are in their territory.†Fraser is an outdoor enthusiast who loves quad biking, plays hockey socially, enjoys fishing and goes to Mozambique about 2 or 3 times a year.
Marine conservationist and shark expert Mark Addison said that “it is very unusual for a shark to go into a shallow bay with the added deterrent of high mechanised watersport usage without some kind of olfactory draw or other predatory related stimulus - in this case, possibly the fish it was reported to have been chasing assisted by the high tide which would have allowed the shark to swim over the extensive sand bank network in the bay. It is also a common misperception that sharks only respond to olfactory stimulus and this only because they are looking for a meal. The reality is that they don't, and in many cases are curious and this alone could draw them to an area or to an object, which they would then subject to further scrutiny - they do this by biting as they have no hands to determine the objects substance or in some cases suitability for a meal. The net result is that the shark does not feed 24/7/365. Bear in mind that a shark eats approximately 10% of its body weight per week, add to this the fact that any energy aquisition (i.e. food) they don't use immediately gets stored in the liver for another day and this makes sharks the camels of the sea - a very necessary adaptation if you are going to have to cover vast tracts of ocean for your next meal.
Back to the case in point - at Ponta, for example, my experience over the last twenty years of operating in the area is that in the case of the resident dolphin pod and transitory whale sharks, they tend to give the bay a wider berth during these periods of heightened boating and watersport activity. At Quarter mile reef in Sodwana, on the other hand, the arrival of the pregnant ragged tooth sharks coincides with the same heightened holiday boating traffic and in this case the sharks have very little choice but to put up with boats whizzing over their heads, as the reef is so vital to their gestation period in these warmer shallower waters where they are by and large able to avoid the pelagic predators. Basically, there is no one size fits all in terms of our searching for answers as to why this bite event happened in the first place. Since a bite such as this, which happened in shallow water, near the shore and around noisy boating activity, is really out of character we need to look at the potential reasons for this†said Addison.
Addison said that factors, other than natural ones such as chasing fish (a favoured food source of juvenile tigers) which may have contributed to the shark being in the bay, include “the fact that as a result of all of rock and surf fishing being done, there is between 100-200kg’s of sardines being thrown into the bay each day, a real treat for sharks who would not normally be exposed to the enticing natural smell of sardines at this time of the year in this area. One needs to also consider the poor waste management, with septic tanks leaching raw sewerage into the bay. These olfactory corridors being created in the bay are conducive to attracting sharks - even if only on the rare occasion, as was the case this timeâ€. There are many examples around the world where abattoirs and sewage plants have caused sharks to be drawn to an area and then into conflict with water users by biting them. Once the source of olfaction or waste discharge was removed the bites ceased.
Addison also said that “if the shark in question is indeed a Tiger, they are by nature patient yet determined sharks and once they have decided on a meal are pretty focused on achieving their goal. I have spent nearly a thousand hours a year in the water with tigers over more than a decade using primarily sardines as bait and then also having come across tigers scavenging on dead turtles and whales - none of these events has resulted in the slightest aggression from this particular species towards myself or fellow divers and snorkellers, but I have often seen or experienced the exploratory and inquistive nature of these sharks when they have mouthed a camera or floating buoy. These outcomes proved to be harmless when directed at an aluminium housing or inch thick moulded plastic buoy but would have been very different if these investigations had been focussed on our puny bodies - but they weren't.â€
According to Addison, “the last thing we want to happen here is for sharks to get the bad reputation when better management of a marine park should be the lesson learned. The lesson here is that authorities need to implement areas of segregated and wise use, so that the interaction between humans and the ocean can be managed more effectively. Pete was a victim of circumstance and I wish him a speedy and full recoveryâ€.
Bear in mind that this is the second bite at Ponta in over twenty years of post war beach and marine tourism, and for more than half a century if you take the pre-war beach tourism to the area into account. This is a remarkable statistic when you consider that there are not and have never been shark nets on the entire Mozambican coast or within 250km of Ponta to the south.
Marine photographer and author Thomas Peschak said that he would “substitute the term ‘shark attack’ for ‘shark bite’, we don't call it dog attack, monkey attack or snake attack, so why call it a shark attackâ€. Peschak, who is the Chief Photographer for the Save our Seas Foundation, said that “in the murky water the shark would not have been able to rely on its excellent eyesight, and the turbulent water of the surf zone could have further compromised its normally acute other senses. Just like people, sharks can and do make mistakes and it appears that this juvenile, and therefore perhaps inexperienced tiger shark, mistook the bather for something it would normally prey on such as a ray or a sea turtle.â€
Julie Anderson, Founder of Shark Angels, said that in terms of risk, “you are more likely to be killed in a hunting accident, lightening strike or sand pit than a shark. In 2007, one person world-wide was killed by a shark bite. During that same period, 793 people died due to bicycle accidents and 49 died due to dog bitesâ€. Commenting on the sensationalised reporting of this story prior to this report, Anderson said that “tabloid-style reporting reinforces our misguided and irrational fears of sharks, providing a very real example that our concerns are valid. This in turn fuels the biggest issue faced in shark conservation: the public’s apathy or even loathing towards sharks. It is incredibly irresponsible and undoubtedly highly damaging to the conservation of a highly threatened animalâ€.
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ENDS
FAMILY OF MOZAMBIQUE SHARK ATTACK VICTIM FRASER SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
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Tuesday 29 December 2009
For immediate release
The family and girlfriend of shark attack victim Peter James Fraser have set the record straight regarding the facts about the shark attack which occurred in Ponta do Oura last week on Tuesday 22 December. Contrary to reports circulating in local and Mozambiquan print and broadcast media, Fraser did not lose any limbs, although he did sustain 6 injuries of varying severity from his encounter with the 2-metre shark, which has been tentatively identified as a juvenile Tiger shark.
Fraser, 27, and his girlfriend Nicolene Latsky, both from Rustenburg, were holidaying in the Mozambiquan tourist hotspot of Ponta Do Oura. At approximately 16h30 on the day of the attack, Fraser was swimming in the bay and caught a wave to shore. As he was exiting the shallow murky water, he felt something bump his leg. Thinking it was his girlfriend playing the fool, he thought nothing of it. However, the inquisitive shark came back at him, biting him on the right knee and causing him to fall to his knees in the half a metre of water.
The shark came at him again from his right hand side, biting him beneath the right shoulder and again on his back on the right hand side. The worst of his injuries were sustained when he fended the shark off with both his hands. The shark bit down on his hands, resulting in deep cuts across all of his knuckles on his left hand, almost severing through three tendons on the top of his fingers.
His right hand sustained less severe lacerations. Peter then exited the water unassisted, where he was treated by a female paramedic who was on holiday at the same location.
Latsky said that “I have never had a fright like that in my life!†According to Latsky, “the attack really took us by surprise because Peter was in such shallow water, the shark’s back and dorsal fin were completely out of the waterâ€. She also said that “there were many other bathers around, there was even a man with a lilo right next to Pete, with another 100-150 people swimming in the bay. In the minutes before the attack, we saw small fish jumping out the water quite near to us but did not consider that it was because a shark was nearâ€. Soon after the attack, it was heard that a group of divers had begun to warn other bathers that they had witnessed a shark chasing a small school of fish into the shallows of the bay.
Latsky said that “we were lucky to find someone in Ponta Do Oura who owned a helicopter, and he flew us directly to the border. Pete was then transported by ambulance to the local Manguzi hospital in Kosi Bay where he was stabilised. From there he travelled by ambulance to Ngwelezana Hospital in Empangeni. Finally, from there he travelled once again by ambulance to The Bay Hospital in Richards Bay where he was on a drip with antibiotics for 4 days to prevent infection. We are so grateful to the pilot for taking Pete across the border as it was a very serious situation with Pete losing a lot of blood. Once at the Empangeni hospital we had quite a lengthy wait before Pete could get into theatre, but once he was in there the doctors did a fantastic job during the four and a half hour surgeryâ€.
Peter was released from hospital yesterday (28 December), and flew back to Gauteng from Richards Bay.
Fraser, who is said to be in good spirits despite being in quite some pain, will require at least one more operation to reattach the partially severed tendons in his left hand. The mounting medical bills will be a concern for Peter, who has recently started a small supply business, and whose medical aid expired only three months ago. He has already incurred costs in the region of R30 000 that he is aware of, and still has no idea of what the helicopter costs will be. It is estimated that he will probably incur another R20 000 in aftercare and rehabilitation costs, and if additional surgery is required to the tendons and or any skin grafts this could be substantially higher.
Despite the attack, Latsky says Fraser “does not blame the shark in any way. When we swim in the ocean, we are in their territory.†Fraser is an outdoor enthusiast who loves quad biking, plays hockey socially, enjoys fishing and goes to Mozambique about 2 or 3 times a year.
Marine conservationist and shark expert Mark Addison said that “it is very unusual for a shark to go into a shallow bay with the added deterrent of high mechanised watersport usage without some kind of olfactory draw or other predatory related stimulus - in this case, possibly the fish it was reported to have been chasing assisted by the high tide which would have allowed the shark to swim over the extensive sand bank network in the bay. It is also a common misperception that sharks only respond to olfactory stimulus and this only because they are looking for a meal. The reality is that they don't, and in many cases are curious and this alone could draw them to an area or to an object, which they would then subject to further scrutiny - they do this by biting as they have no hands to determine the objects substance or in some cases suitability for a meal. The net result is that the shark does not feed 24/7/365. Bear in mind that a shark eats approximately 10% of its body weight per week, add to this the fact that any energy aquisition (i.e. food) they don't use immediately gets stored in the liver for another day and this makes sharks the camels of the sea - a very necessary adaptation if you are going to have to cover vast tracts of ocean for your next meal.
Back to the case in point - at Ponta, for example, my experience over the last twenty years of operating in the area is that in the case of the resident dolphin pod and transitory whale sharks, they tend to give the bay a wider berth during these periods of heightened boating and watersport activity. At Quarter mile reef in Sodwana, on the other hand, the arrival of the pregnant ragged tooth sharks coincides with the same heightened holiday boating traffic and in this case the sharks have very little choice but to put up with boats whizzing over their heads, as the reef is so vital to their gestation period in these warmer shallower waters where they are by and large able to avoid the pelagic predators. Basically, there is no one size fits all in terms of our searching for answers as to why this bite event happened in the first place. Since a bite such as this, which happened in shallow water, near the shore and around noisy boating activity, is really out of character we need to look at the potential reasons for this†said Addison.
Addison said that factors, other than natural ones such as chasing fish (a favoured food source of juvenile tigers) which may have contributed to the shark being in the bay, include “the fact that as a result of all of rock and surf fishing being done, there is between 100-200kg’s of sardines being thrown into the bay each day, a real treat for sharks who would not normally be exposed to the enticing natural smell of sardines at this time of the year in this area. One needs to also consider the poor waste management, with septic tanks leaching raw sewerage into the bay. These olfactory corridors being created in the bay are conducive to attracting sharks - even if only on the rare occasion, as was the case this timeâ€. There are many examples around the world where abattoirs and sewage plants have caused sharks to be drawn to an area and then into conflict with water users by biting them. Once the source of olfaction or waste discharge was removed the bites ceased.
Addison also said that “if the shark in question is indeed a Tiger, they are by nature patient yet determined sharks and once they have decided on a meal are pretty focused on achieving their goal. I have spent nearly a thousand hours a year in the water with tigers over more than a decade using primarily sardines as bait and then also having come across tigers scavenging on dead turtles and whales - none of these events has resulted in the slightest aggression from this particular species towards myself or fellow divers and snorkellers, but I have often seen or experienced the exploratory and inquistive nature of these sharks when they have mouthed a camera or floating buoy. These outcomes proved to be harmless when directed at an aluminium housing or inch thick moulded plastic buoy but would have been very different if these investigations had been focussed on our puny bodies - but they weren't.â€
According to Addison, “the last thing we want to happen here is for sharks to get the bad reputation when better management of a marine park should be the lesson learned. The lesson here is that authorities need to implement areas of segregated and wise use, so that the interaction between humans and the ocean can be managed more effectively. Pete was a victim of circumstance and I wish him a speedy and full recoveryâ€.
Bear in mind that this is the second bite at Ponta in over twenty years of post war beach and marine tourism, and for more than half a century if you take the pre-war beach tourism to the area into account. This is a remarkable statistic when you consider that there are not and have never been shark nets on the entire Mozambican coast or within 250km of Ponta to the south.
Marine photographer and author Thomas Peschak said that he would “substitute the term ‘shark attack’ for ‘shark bite’, we don't call it dog attack, monkey attack or snake attack, so why call it a shark attackâ€. Peschak, who is the Chief Photographer for the Save our Seas Foundation, said that “in the murky water the shark would not have been able to rely on its excellent eyesight, and the turbulent water of the surf zone could have further compromised its normally acute other senses. Just like people, sharks can and do make mistakes and it appears that this juvenile, and therefore perhaps inexperienced tiger shark, mistook the bather for something it would normally prey on such as a ray or a sea turtle.â€
Julie Anderson, Founder of Shark Angels, said that in terms of risk, “you are more likely to be killed in a hunting accident, lightening strike or sand pit than a shark. In 2007, one person world-wide was killed by a shark bite. During that same period, 793 people died due to bicycle accidents and 49 died due to dog bitesâ€. Commenting on the sensationalised reporting of this story prior to this report, Anderson said that “tabloid-style reporting reinforces our misguided and irrational fears of sharks, providing a very real example that our concerns are valid. This in turn fuels the biggest issue faced in shark conservation: the public’s apathy or even loathing towards sharks. It is incredibly irresponsible and undoubtedly highly damaging to the conservation of a highly threatened animalâ€.
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ENDS