I watched that Hawaiian guy swimming with the big white there, but I couldn't help but think of that guy who had the same attitude about the Grizzly bears.
"Everyone is wrong, they are majestic tranquil creatures and it's all our fault and we invite all these attacks and we're way more of a threat to them than they are to us"
What he did is arguably risky but you also have to consider that most observed shark behavior involves feeding. When most people want to see sharks, they bait the water to attract them and also because we find feeding behavior more viscerally dramatic. The behavior of sharks in those situations isn't typical even for the more aggressive species like tiger, mako, and great white sharks. When you look at patterns in shark attacks you see pretty clearly that the vast majority of the attacks involve a single bite and they often occur in conditions where a person may have easily been confused for something else, such as a surfer lying on his board looking like a seal from below or a diver in murky water.
A prevailing theory is that these "attacks" are really either a case of mistaken identity or that the shark was just curious and was basically sampling the person to find out if they're prey (due to low visibility or confusion when there's a lot of bait in the water) and once they bite and realize we're not prey, they usually release but of course that in itself can be very damaging to us.
However as he pointed out the visibility was excellent, it also appears that they weren't baiting for sharks so they weren't in feeding mode so to speak, and there is also usually a subtle change in the "posture" of a shark when it's in an aggressive stance. The pectoral fins are usually at a lower angle, the back tends to arch slightly, and they tend to make frequent sharp turns instead of just cruising along slowly. So I believe he actually made a reasonable assessment of the risk involved.
Time to show off!
Firstly - grey nurse sharks, 3 meters long and fish eaters. Very rare because they give birth to live young, they incubate 15-20 eggs inside themselves but once the sharks hatch they aren't released from the Sharkwomb but instead grow by hunting and eating their siblings. Two strongest eventually make it to freedom.
This was taken in the Mooloolaba aquarium's shark tunnel. By way of a link to the next set they did at one point get a great white, a fisherman had caught it near the harbour and was bringing it back before someone recognised what it was and told him it was a protected species. Guy did the only sensible thing and decided to bring it to the aquarium to make sure it was ok, keeping it alive by sticking its head in the Eski (ice/water filled coolbox) they had used to keep their drinks fresh. It was unconcious by the time it was taken to the shark tunnel but recovered once it was tossed into it - apparently everything else sank right to the bottom as soon as the great white appeared (even though it wasn't that big) and the great white was happily swimming around.
Well, at least until it knocked itself out on the glass tunnel. As mentioned before, great whites are a protected species so you can't just let them die through negliance in your tank - divers had to be sent in to tow the shark about, passing water across its gills, until it regained conciousness at which point they would get the fuck out of there. This happened a couple of times as it collided with the glass, tank wall and some of the pipes before they decided that people didn't try to keep great whites in captivity for a very good reason.
So if you want to go and see them, you've got to do something like this.
What you never hear about going shark cage diving, is that they won't let you in or out of the water unless they can see the shark circling the boat. Given these pictures were taken off south africa where all the jumping shark videos come from I suppose it makes sense. However its disconcerting to say the least when you can only leave the safety of the cage when you can see that this guy is right outside.
Hope to go and see the Whale sharks off Exmouth in western australia at some point, as that will complete my set of swimming with the 4 largest fish in the world. I went there on a family holiday a couple of years back, but we just missed the season for them - not that disappointing, we were there for the manta rays and we ended up seeing a 3m tiger shark (#4, they can get longer than great whites but aren't as massive). I didn't realise it was a tiger shark at first, you get used to seeing reef sharks around and just think of them as being something a little unusual and cool, and was suprised at the time how excited the divemaster was about seeing them (at the time just thought it was exagerrated excitement for us tourists). However we found out later that it was a tiger once we got back on the boat, apparently they don't like the bubbles released from scuba units.
Went to see the Basking Sharks (#2) week before last, off Cornwall, which was fantastic. They're absolutely huge and just appear out of nowhere since the water is so dark - better still, you'll be chasing after a shark you can see in the distance (they're fins poke out when they are feeding right at the surface) but when you look down to see them properly after getting close you'll suddenly find youself amongst a large group of 5-6.
Got some pictures of them as well, but they dont scan very well (and didn't come out as clear as they are on the index card), plan on taking the film down to Jessops to see if they can do a better job than boots.
I CBA (can't be arsed) to look at the other 15 pages I didnt read, but did anyone post the "I'm a shark! I'm a shark! Suck my dick! I'm a shark!" pics yet?
I CBA (can't be arsed) to look at the other 15 pages I didnt read, but did anyone post the "I'm a shark! I'm a shark! Suck my dick! I'm a shark!" pics yet?
Neither the whole of truth nor the whole of good is revealed to any single observer, although each observer gains a partial superiority of insight from the peculiar position in which he stands. It is enough to ask of each of us that he should be faithful to his own opportunities and make the most of his own blessings, without presuming to regulate the rest of the vast field.
Polar bears have been known to actively hunt humans.
can't say I blame 'em since the global warming we're mostly responsible for is causing the arctic ice they need to hunt seals to melt earlier in the year making it much more difficult for them to feed.
Posts
Fuckers were probably drunk.
Thats pretty good stuff Dru.
"Everyone is wrong, they are majestic tranquil creatures and it's all our fault and we invite all these attacks and we're way more of a threat to them than they are to us"
They ate him alive while his camera filmed it.
A prevailing theory is that these "attacks" are really either a case of mistaken identity or that the shark was just curious and was basically sampling the person to find out if they're prey (due to low visibility or confusion when there's a lot of bait in the water) and once they bite and realize we're not prey, they usually release but of course that in itself can be very damaging to us.
However as he pointed out the visibility was excellent, it also appears that they weren't baiting for sharks so they weren't in feeding mode so to speak, and there is also usually a subtle change in the "posture" of a shark when it's in an aggressive stance. The pectoral fins are usually at a lower angle, the back tends to arch slightly, and they tend to make frequent sharp turns instead of just cruising along slowly. So I believe he actually made a reasonable assessment of the risk involved.
Firstly - grey nurse sharks, 3 meters long and fish eaters. Very rare because they give birth to live young, they incubate 15-20 eggs inside themselves but once the sharks hatch they aren't released from the Sharkwomb but instead grow by hunting and eating their siblings. Two strongest eventually make it to freedom.
This was taken in the Mooloolaba aquarium's shark tunnel. By way of a link to the next set they did at one point get a great white, a fisherman had caught it near the harbour and was bringing it back before someone recognised what it was and told him it was a protected species. Guy did the only sensible thing and decided to bring it to the aquarium to make sure it was ok, keeping it alive by sticking its head in the Eski (ice/water filled coolbox) they had used to keep their drinks fresh. It was unconcious by the time it was taken to the shark tunnel but recovered once it was tossed into it - apparently everything else sank right to the bottom as soon as the great white appeared (even though it wasn't that big) and the great white was happily swimming around.
Well, at least until it knocked itself out on the glass tunnel. As mentioned before, great whites are a protected species so you can't just let them die through negliance in your tank - divers had to be sent in to tow the shark about, passing water across its gills, until it regained conciousness at which point they would get the fuck out of there. This happened a couple of times as it collided with the glass, tank wall and some of the pipes before they decided that people didn't try to keep great whites in captivity for a very good reason.
So if you want to go and see them, you've got to do something like this.
What you never hear about going shark cage diving, is that they won't let you in or out of the water unless they can see the shark circling the boat. Given these pictures were taken off south africa where all the jumping shark videos come from I suppose it makes sense. However its disconcerting to say the least when you can only leave the safety of the cage when you can see that this guy is right outside.
Hope to go and see the Whale sharks off Exmouth in western australia at some point, as that will complete my set of swimming with the 4 largest fish in the world. I went there on a family holiday a couple of years back, but we just missed the season for them - not that disappointing, we were there for the manta rays and we ended up seeing a 3m tiger shark (#4, they can get longer than great whites but aren't as massive). I didn't realise it was a tiger shark at first, you get used to seeing reef sharks around and just think of them as being something a little unusual and cool, and was suprised at the time how excited the divemaster was about seeing them (at the time just thought it was exagerrated excitement for us tourists). However we found out later that it was a tiger once we got back on the boat, apparently they don't like the bubbles released from scuba units.
Went to see the Basking Sharks (#2) week before last, off Cornwall, which was fantastic. They're absolutely huge and just appear out of nowhere since the water is so dark - better still, you'll be chasing after a shark you can see in the distance (they're fins poke out when they are feeding right at the surface) but when you look down to see them properly after getting close you'll suddenly find youself amongst a large group of 5-6.
Got some pictures of them as well, but they dont scan very well (and didn't come out as clear as they are on the index card), plan on taking the film down to Jessops to see if they can do a better job than boots.
Yes, by everyone that didn't read the thread.
Edit: ....
totally
Stock footage ++
I agree
I've learned from Shark Week that sharks are more awesome versions of people.
People examine things with their eyes.
Sharks do it with their teeth.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2003/jul/03/research.science
This was on the front page of Yahoo just now.
snakes on the other hand?
fuck 'em
its like fuck get out of there man
the arctic blows
HEY!