shark expertise needed

[spaghetti]

http://www.ansa.it/main/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2006-05-03_1038799.html
Java shark has newly come to my country (Italy), even in the Jonian Sea, where I go diving often in summer.
Question is: is it any dangerous? Any advice if I had to meet one of them? (they say it's common in South Africa: Miles, anyone?)

 

[Lehmann108]

All sharks, to a greater or lesser degree are potentially dangerous. Since there are no reported attacks on humans from this shark it probably is a lesser risk. But the lack of attacks could be because of its natural habitat and lack of human contact in those areas.

 

[Rockbrother]

The picture in the articel looks more like a raggie or grey nurse shark, There is a picture of a pig eye at www.fishbase.net.

 

[spaghetti]

thanks brother. Do you know this species? Ever had an encounter? What to do wih it?
Please understand that people here is basically not very familiar to sharks, and moreover this is a new species, totally unknown for us...

 

[Rockbrother]

Sorry, I have never encountered a Java shark before so I am not sure. According to fishbase they eat mostly fish, squid, lobster ect, all small stuff so I would not be to concerned, also no shark attacks recorded to date. They might take your fish off your stinger though, and at 2m can probably give a nasty bite if you get in the way of said fish.

 

[trux]

Well, the Mediterranean Shark Website was apparently not updated since a while, but it is an interesting source of information about sharks in the Mediterranean Sea anyway. At the quick glance at it, I do not see any information about Java shark there though.

You can also contact the Italian shark specialists for more information - hopefully they are well informed about the newest events.

However, from the available information you posted yourself, it is more or less apparent that the Java shark is relatively harmles. More of a concern could be the Great White Shark that is also not exceptional in your area, and there is a history of some attacks on humans. The interaction of GWS and sharks in general with humans in the Med is quite limited though and if you ever see one, you can consider you extremely lucky (unless the completely unlikely scenario of the shark attacking you - in that case you'd be extremely unlucky )

 

[spaghetti]

Well, the Mediterranean Shark Website was apparently not updated since a while, but it is an interesting source of information about sharks in the Mediterranean Sea anyway. More of a concern could be the Great White Shark that is also not exceptional in your area, and there is a history of some attacks on humans. The interaction of GWS and sharks in general with humans in the Med is quite limited though and if you ever see one, you can consider you extremely lucky (unless the completely unlikely scenario of the shark attacking you - in that case you'd be extremely unlucky )

Hi Trux. How many sharks in Prague? rofl
Seriously, I'm aware of GWS presence in my country: last summer spearos I know had encounters in the Adriatic Sea and off the shore of Pantelleria island. About 15 years ago a man was eaten here in Tuscany (my waters). We all have always considered these things as once-in-a-lifetime events, but I'm afraid we'd better change our minds due to global warming and what comes after that.
I remember about ten years ago, when I saw the first barracuda fished in Tuscan waters. Everybody was puzzled by that strange fish, wondering "How could a PIKE survive in the sea?". Now barracudas are here to stay. And sharks too.

 

[trux]

Hi Trux. How many sharks in Prague?

You won't believe me, but plenty! Even if I do not count the sharks in businesses, Bohemia is pretty rich for sharks. There are at least 50 different shark species that were registered on the locality of the Czech Republic till today. Well, the most recent exemplar is couple millions of years old, but still!

​

Though, there are still some survivors directly in Prague too:​

​

And then, there is the Czech girl (shool teacher) that was eaten by a shark near Split in the last century - so the Med sharks already know the taste of Czech girls, hence I am pretty sure they'll go for them just like Italians do! How lucky I am a guy!​

 

[spaghetti]

Never tasted a Czech girl. But if they taste like Slovakian ones, they must be not bad ;-)

 

[trux]

Never tasted a Czech girl. But if they taste like Slovakian ones, they must be not bad ;-)

Czech girls are better of course! That's why Czechoslovakia broke apart - the Slovaks were simply too jealous that we have better girls.

 

[spaghetti]

Trux, I must keep these thoughts off of my mind: I'm a married man now, and Tuscan wives are more aggressive than Java sharks: many attacks reported, most of which deadly...

 

[trux]

... Tuscan wives are more aggressive than Java sharks: many attacks reported, most of which deadly...

rofl rofl rofl

 

[trux]

I wrote about the Italian article to Ian Fergusson, the autor of the Med Shark website. He replied this:

Thanks for the link and glad the website has proven informative. The story you've linked is based on a sole specimen, reputedly taken a few years ago by Italian commercial fishermen, rather than any encounter with a free-swimming specimen. There's a paper just published on this specimen which, if valid, is the first recording from the Mediterranean (probably a Red Sea immigrant). Obviously a single such 'outlier'
specimen beyong usual geographic range doesn't prove a trend, but the notion of the Mediterranean undergoing some profound and probably highly damaging environmental changes is certainly the case.

Best wishes
Ian

 

[trux]

BTW, I found this following information on another forum. It may be valuable for those afraid of sharks, and could help them to know how to behave in case of an encounter:

I specialize in freediving video but now I`ve a problem -we had some shark attacks lately in the red sea, atacking only free divers & swimmers.
Are there any methodes to ninimize the danger, while practicing freedive&video in open waters?

Hi There,
I do a lot of Spear fishing in Micronesia, having made my base there. Freediving and spearfishing is a way of life for the islanders out here. They use a simple method. Take a stick with you. If you encounter a shark prod it with the stick! Simple. The reason behind it is that sharks are not used to any form of contact. So anything reacting in a defensive way will make the shark think twice about chomping on something taking a reactive stance. Also, sharks are ambush predators. One of the most important rules I stick to when filming, I´ve filmed Tiger sharks feeding, Oceanic white tips and Grey reef feeding frenzies in open water, is to ALWAYS look at the animal. Sharks are smart they know when you´re looking at them. Keep eye contact and stay focussed.

Try these pointers, and stay safe. You can always get the shark shield, an electronic shark repelling unit but I feel if a shark is p.....d at something making it even more annoyed by disturbing its electronic sensory system is just asking for more trouble.

Cheers,
Mark.

Palau
Western Pacific
(someone's gotta live here, right?)

 

[Marwan]

there have been rumors about some attacks in the red sea, never seen them reorted though, lately tigers have been spotted in areas where they were never seen before. the one i hate the most though is the oceanc white tip, very inquisitive, gets too close and sometimes bumps you, they are also unpredictable unlike reef sharks. the instructions dive guides tell divers here, if you see a tiger shark ascend immediately out of the water and over the reef, signal to the zodiac for pick up.

 

[Marwan]

i recently got a shark shield, got a littl scare spearfishing in the med, i was out and far and saw a shark which got me thinking, no reef, no zodiac, long swim, so ithought maybe the shield would make it safe for me to return to shore when i se a shark while spearfishing, i do not have the same concern/apprehension to sharks when i do scuba though i have encountered/filmed them many times over the years and i dont use the shield on scuba

 

[greendiver]

Czech girls are better of course! That's why Czechoslovakia broke apart - the Slovaks were simply too jealous that we have better girls.

Trux!! You are completely right, Thank god I do not live in your country....I would be completely lost...they are the most beautiful women, by far!!