British ****** wrestles shark

[CaptainSlow]

Pickled said:

300 million? Really?

Yes, that's the current rate, it won't last long though as they get wiped out.

[Mr E]

I bumped into a shark when diving. It was significantly more scared than me...

[vx220]

Pesty said:

I know a girl like that

With a moustache and trucker cap? Or dolls eyes?

...and where can I get that as a t-shirt or poster!?

[Driller]

Blimey, PH seems to be infested with swarms of shark worriers

I'm not advocating wholesale massacre of shark

But when I hear the bleeding heart brigade going "won't you think of the sharks?!" it seems ridiculous and naive to think in such human terms about a creature which is anything but.

And just because you've swam with sharks and not lost any limbs doesn't change the fact that sharks are not fluffy little lambs and I don't care what you say, if they were hungry and big enough and you were in front of them they would have a go at you.

I also don't care about your statistics. Just because only a handfull of surfers and swimmers get bitten/eaten doesn't make them any less nasty.

[blueg33]

Mr E said:

I bumped into a shark when diving. It was significantly more scared than me...

Much the same here, when snorkelling, swam around a big lump of coral and was suddenly face to face with a white tip reef shark - shark turned and "legged (Finned?) it" even faster than I did

[otolith]

blueg33 said:

Mr E said:

I bumped into a shark when diving. It was significantly more scared than me...

Much the same here, when snorkelling, swam around a big lump of coral and was suddenly face to face with a white tip reef shark - shark turned and "legged (Finned?) it" even faster than I did

That's my experience with black tip reef sharks;

http://youtu.be/JHJppvFHuhs?t=1m7s

[blueg33]

Driller said:

Blimey, PH seems to be infested with swarms of shark worriers

I'm not advocating wholesale massacre of shark

But when I hear the bleeding heart brigade going "won't you think of the sharks?!" it seems ridiculous and naive to think in such human terms about a creature which is anything but.

And just because you've swam with sharks and not lost any limbs doesn't change the fact that sharks are not fluffy little lambs and I don't care what you say, if they were hungry and big enough and you were in front of them they would have a go at you.

I also don't care about your statistics. Just because only a handfull of surfers and swimmers get bitten/eaten doesn't make them any less nasty.

Regardless - the shark is there in its own habitat, pointing it back out to see was the best thing to do.

Its a predator most predators only attack to eat or in defence, sharks rarely eat humans, infact we just are not a factor in their food chain. IMO its up to the humans to get out of the way and let the shark get on with its life, there are plenty of beaches with shark nets etc

[colonel c]

vx220 said:

With a moustache and trucker cap? Or dolls eyes?

...and where can I get that as a t-shirt or poster!?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74776030/jaws-robert-s...

[CaptainSlow]

I don't think PH is full of shark worriers.

I think it's just a shame that many people's knowledge of sharks is based on 1970's movies and sensationalist press (as per the one in the OP). Spielberg himself has been quoted as having regret over the impact on public perception following his Jaws films.

Surfers bobbing up and down on the surace looking like a seal in an area well known for its Great White population isn't a good idea. If a surfer is attacked it's usually a "test" bite and promptly spat out. Unfortunately a test bite from a large shark can be fatal.

There are many species of shark with the vast majority, whilst looking scary, are not threat to a human swimmer. I've had the pleasure of diving with 2m long reef sharks and a young whale shark.

If sharks were real man-eaters the stats would be a lot worse.

[bad company]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What he said!

[Driller]

Pints said:

bad company said:

Not sure whether you are a wind up merchant or an idiot but you are one of the two. Mrs BC & I have dived with sharks for years & guess what, all limbs still attached.

Well done, you. Whereas I knew a few surfers back in E.L, SA who are either missing bits of their body or, as was the case for one mate, the ability to grow older. Death by shark will do that to you.

I've just seen this.

I grew up in East London, South Africa. Maybe this has something to do with my attitude to sharks

[Ayahuasca]

Pickled said:

CaptainSlow said:

Annual shark fatalities caused by humans ~300,000,000

300 million? Really?

I believe the correct figure is closer to 100 million. Per Annum.

Far too many.

[Pickled]

Ayahuasca said:

Pickled said:

CaptainSlow said:

Annual shark fatalities caused by humans ~300,000,000

300 million? Really?

I believe the correct figure is closer to 100 million. Per Annum.

Far too many.

Not saying it's not true, but even thats an unbelievably large amount! Is de-finning the major cause, or other reasons?

[Jasandjules]

Driller said:

Are you saying a hungry shark of sufficient size wouldn't try to eat you if you swam around in front of it?

I've had 9ft sharks swimming less than 3ft over my head.

So I will go further than say it and tell you that I have done it.

I would have swam with far more sharks if the f***ers would let me but they mainly run away.

Perhaps read this

http://www.projectaware.org/project/sharks-peril

[Luftgekuhlt]

Pickled said:

Ayahuasca said:

Pickled said:

CaptainSlow said:

Annual shark fatalities caused by humans ~300,000,000

300 million? Really?

I believe the correct figure is closer to 100 million. Per Annum.

Far too many.

Not saying it's not true, but even thats an unbelievably large amount! Is de-finning the major cause, or other reasons?

A large proportion is down to de-finning, yes. Most of the rest is down to making stuff up.

[Pique]

Jasandjules said:

I've had 9ft sharks swimming less than 3ft over my head.

I've been to the Sea Life Centre too (just kidding)

Yes sharks can be dangerous. If you are worried about getting hurt by one then maybe stay out of the water. Common sense.

[Driller]

Jasandjules said:

I've had 9ft sharks swimming less than 3ft over my head.

So I will go further than say it and tell you that I have done it.

I would have swam with far more sharks if the f***ers would let me but they mainly run away.

Perhaps read this

http://www.projectaware.org/project/sharks-peril

J I understand where you are coming from but that doesn't change the fact that a shark is a cold, calculating killing machine (whatever part of the food chain you are in) and thinking of them in sympathetic terms just seems strange to me.

[alfaman]

Driller said:

Jasandjules said:

I've had 9ft sharks swimming less than 3ft over my head.

So I will go further than say it and tell you that I have done it.

I would have swam with far more sharks if the f***ers would let me but they mainly run away.

Perhaps read this

http://www.projectaware.org/project/sharks-peril

J I understand where you are coming from but that doesn't change the fact that a shark is a cold, calculating killing machine (whatever part of the food chain you are in) and thinking of them in sympathetic terms just seems strange to me.

Most shark species are completely harmless to humans - I do a lot diving in Asia and have had 10 foot sharks bump into me nose first on a night dive [..still bloody scary when u see one swimming towards you ... even when u know they won't eat you ...].

shark conservation is a serious issue - the chinese love for shark fin soup is a big problem for the species.

[blueg33]

Driller said:

J I understand where you are coming from but that doesn't change the fact that a shark is a cold, calculating killing machine (whatever part of the food chain you are in) and thinking of them in sympathetic terms just seems strange to me.

We are sympathetic to:

Eagles
Kestrels
Tigers
Leopards
Cats
Dolphins
Toothed Whales
bats
etc

all are cold calculating killing machines, as is any predator its what they do (that list has only two animals on it that kill for fun)

So leave them to get on with it

ps apparently hippos kill more people each year than any predator in africa and any shark in the sea

[blindswelledrat]

bigandclever said:

When our hero rocks up, there's no bugger in the water... he could've just left it alone.

I saw this thread and on my way home I happened into a paper shop and genuinely laughed out loud when I saw the following tabloid after seeing that non-event video so I took a picture for you, my internet friends