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Carcharodon Carcharias- the Great White Shark
is the world's largest predatory fish, reaching over 6 metres
(20 feet) in length. Armed with a lethal mouthful of serrated,
razor-sharp daggers and powerful enough to launch their 1-ton
bodies clear of the water, they are the ocean's top predator
and are the most feared inhabitant of the sea.
Their diet includes other sharks and marine mammals, including
dolphins and Cape Fur Seals. With Shark Alley teeming with
tasty marine life, the Great White, normally a migratory predator,
tends to hang around the alley providing us with an opportunity
to experience this intriguing animal in its natural habitat.
When you see these magnificent creatures of the sea, you
cannot help having a great amount of respect, the Great White
Shark is not the monster it has been made out to be, but rather
a beautiful, powerful and supreme creature of the sea
The Great White reaches maturity at around 9 years of age.
The average size of The Great White Shark is between 12 to
16 feet long. The growth rate is about 25-30 cm per year and
it can grow up to 21 feet. The Great White Shark has litters
of 7-9 pups. The female may only reproduce twice in her whole
life.
Shark Cage Diving in South Africa
The cage diving industry in South Africa is centred around
Dyer Island (Gansbaai), because it presents
the largest concentration of White Sharks in South Africa
and probably worldwide.
White Sharks have always been in the area, long before the
cage diving operations started in the early 90's. The result
of approximately 50 000 Cape Fur Seals and many different
species of marine and coastal sea birds living on the islands,
create a natural and very powerful source of smell or chum.
It consists mainly of cadavers, urine, and faeces, which these
sharks are attracted to. Chumming is a process that happens
naturally in the wild. Cage diving operators also use a very
weak and temporary chum to attract the sharks that are already
around the island, to the boat. This chum is of lesser strength
compared to the one of the island or of river mouths. The
intentions of the operators are not to feed the animals. As
long as the intentions are ethical in not feeding the animals
on purpose, the potential habituation is kept to a minimal
risk.
Benefits to the Local Economy
Shark cage diving serves as a big source of employment in
South Africa. From tour operators, taxi services, hotels and
guest houses, catering to airlines and travel agencies, they
all benefit from these sharks. Today this attraction is one
of the most popular in SA and the world. South Africa has
a big problem with unemployment and these activities create
jobs for thousands of people. We must understand that we should
conserve these sharks not only for their importance in the
food chain or the richness of our heritage and world biodiversity,
but also for the massive employment opportunities this industry
is creating. It is a type of symbiosis where humans and sharks
alike can benefit
Shark Research
Research is currently taking place in Mossel Bay, Gansbaai
and False Bay. Satellite tags are helping scientists to better
understand White Shark migration patterns, ecology and behaviour.
So little is known about White Sharks and their behaviour.
To date, there is no scientific evidence that links the chumming
operators to shark attacks on our coastline.
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