Woman 'taken' by large shark.

[î мцšт вяздк чфµ]

"Bermagui Blue Balls"

[elvis15]

Im not saying worry about sharks. But be aware when you enter an area where they live. Personally I would make the assumption that I could be a potential target when I'm in specific areas. I actually plan to visit and snorkel in shark beaches, for the thrill. I will probably be using some sort of deterrent.

I'm not worried about the culling. To me the local people who swim and use the waters can decide what's best for them.

I think the way you've been stating it (asking people who are saying it's not that big a worry for shark attacks to provide all the empirical evidence around coconuts and bathtubs) suggests the opposite. But if that's the case I'm sure we can both let it go.

If I chose to swim in the ocean while visiting Cape Town or the Gold Coast, I'll be aware there could be sharks that might attack me. If I get in a plane, I'll be aware it could be hijacked or could crash. If I sit in the shade of a tree on a beach in the tropics, I'll be aware a coconut could hit me on the head and kill me.

But, I'll also be aware of what other people do and can certainly decide based on the information available whether or not I think it's right. I don't agree with shark culling because people think they're killers, and certainly not hunting them just for their fins.

The human fear of not being able to control every situation often results in massive overreaction.

No Ed i like the odds that i will not be attacked while i am swimming.

Here is what the greatest ever surfer who is from Florida thinks of the shark Cull in Western Australia ,

...

And he says he would be “honoured” to die in a shark attack. The 11-time world champion this week condemned the state’s catch-and-kill policy.

Slater, who is headed to WA for the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro, from April 2-13, had this message for the Barnett Government: “Leave ’em alone”.

“I think it’s kind of silly,” Slater said.

“Humans want to control everything. We try to control (beach) erosion, we try to control sharks … we just try to control everything on this earth and it’s just crazy.

“We kill 100 million sharks a year or something crazy to make (shark fin) soup. We throw them back finless and dying.”

...

The groups are campaigning for an end to WA’s program of deploying drum lines off Perth and the South-West to catch and kill great white, tiger and bull sharks larger than 3m.

Not one great white has been caught since the operation began in February.

+1

That was my argument above, and then I see this posted and it completely echos how humans jump to action at their most irrational fears to try and control them and yet they ignore positive action on very real and much more common issues they should be dealing with.

It's either that, or we take what we want as resources, effect on nature or just general sense be damned.

I'd happily go for a swim with you Brick. But nowhere near shark-infested waters. And when I say shark-infested, I mean waters that have even a 1% chance of a friendly shark in them, never mind great whites.

I'll never understand why people take such a careless attitude over something as important as life. If you live in Australia, don't swim in the sea. You're dicing with death.

I'm off to enjoy a heart attack-inducing all-day English breakfast, wish me luck

Haha!

But the first part reminds me of when I went to Mexico and the guide was suggesting things we could do rather than just stay on the beach. One of them was swimming with whale sharks while they congregated north of Cancun, and I looked at her like she was crazy. I get they're not carnivorous but I'm not really a scuba or snorkel guy and there's no way I was going out in deep, deep water and getting anywhere close to the largest fish in the ocean. I'll swim in the ocean within sight of a beach, but that's about it for me.

[D-Money]

Yes. Do you realise that there's zero point in taking the chance that it might be you one day? Safer to go to a swimming pool and not potentially die.

You should probably not leave your house unless completely necessary. More chance of death outside.

[elvis15]

Ironic that I came across this today, but here you go:

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sharkseat.html

Only about a dozen of the more than 300 species of sharks have been involved in attacks on humans. Sharks evolved millions of years before humans existed and therefore humans are not part of their normal diets. Sharks primarily feed on smaller fish but some species prey upon seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals.

Sharks have been known to attack humans when they are confused or curious. If a shark sees a human splashing in the water, it may try to investigate, leading to an accidental attack. Still, sharks have more to fear from humans than we do of them. Humans hunt sharks for their meat, internal organs, and skin in order to make products such as shark fin soup, lubricants, and leather.

[NightHawkSniper]

man I hate hearing about shark culling. Thats just wrong on so many levels. Science has come a long ways, we've developed wetsuits that repel or hide you for sharks, they have developed odor and scents that repel sharks. Shark culling is just the wrong way to approach to this problem; sharks are very cool animals and probably the most misunderstood. RIP Christine Armstrong, thats a horrible way to go

Why should we hide from sharks? KILL EM ALL!

[Special Ed]

According to the statistics I have seen(which I can provide) there should be some attacks in Florida by bull sharks over the next month or two.

April & may for 2014 you have 0(so far) attacks in FL.

April & may for 2013 you have 5 attacks in Florida.

April & may for 2012 you have 3 attacks in FL.

April & may for 2011 you have 4 attacks in FL.

April & may for 2010 you have 2 attacks in FL.

These are non fatal for these months.

There have already been people attacked this year in Florida(non fatal). But according to the numbers over the last couple years we can expect to see anywhere from 2-5 attacks still for this month and next. Just in Florida alone. Attacks are frequent enough to establish a pattern is my point here.

http://touch.orlandosentinel.com/#section/1241/article/p2p-79824325/

Two teens surfing in the New Smyrna Beach area were bit by a shark Friday afternoon, Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Tamara Marris said.

The first bite occurred about 1:30 p.m. near the jetty. The youth, who is from South Carolina, suffered a minor laceration on his foot.

The second bite occurred about 20 minutes later, Marris said. A Satellite Beach teen was bit on the thigh.

The youth were treated at the scene and released. They were participants in a surfing event, Marris said.

-

Interesting on how predictable the pattern is. Luckily the injuries here were minor.

April & may for 2014 you have 2(so far) attacks in FL.

April & may for 2013 you have 5 attacks in Florida.

April & may for 2012 you have 3 attacks in FL.

April & may for 2011 you have 4 attacks in FL.

April & may for 2010 you have 2 attacks in FL.

So I updated 2014 and added the 2 attacks which I predicted were due. That's the bare minimum and could possibly see more still. I will say it's very likely to see that number grow by the end of May.

[Special Ed]

If you haven't read Freakonomics or Superfreakonomics, I HIGHLY recommend them.

And if you do, you'll realize that questioning the authors' data, especially on such a simple-to-prove statement, is ludicrous.

Pretty busy today but when I have time will try to check it out.

[Dazzle]

This is a tragic story - what a horrible way to die. Sharks, spiders and snakes are the reasons I will never visit Australia, even to see the Neighbours set. Awful.

Those are very awful reasons for not going to a place.

But I guess it's okay in your close-minded head.

[KFBR392]

Surprised to see all the shark hate here.

I can't believe I actually read someone suggest that we should eliminate them entirely. We already pollute and destroy their habitat and food supply, not to mention we willingly swim in their territory... A territory they've been occupying long before us... A territory that they HAVE to exist in, in order to survive...

Yet because we like to swim and surf in warm waters, we should kill them all because they present a small risk to our leisure activities?

Typical god complex.

[Jägermeister]

Sharks kill way more than vending machines so give your head a shake. And your chances of getting bit are higher in places like Australia so thanks for coming out.

Not if you factor in all the people dying of obesity from the snacks that they sell

And the Australia comment was a joke based off of all the crazy crap that can kill you in Australia. So good for you?

[Special Ed]

Surprised to see all the shark hate here.

I can't believe I actually read someone suggest that we should eliminate them entirely. We already pollute and destroy their habitat and food supply, not to mention we willingly swim in their territory... A territory they've been occupying long before us... A territory that they HAVE to exist in, in order to survive...

Yet because we like to swim and surf in warm waters, we should kill them all because they present a small risk to our leisure activities?

Typical god complex.

I enjoy sharks and they fascinate me. However I don't have any personal feelings towards them on way or the other. They are a predatory fish, not highly intelligent and that's all. We kill plenty of fish and don't think twice about it. Personally it's my belief that as a human I am at the top of the entire food chain and that the entire earth is my domain including the ocean. Call it god complex or whatever you like but it is what it is.

I keep hearing about the big deal made out of endangered species but personally I don't buy it. If anything there is more evidence supporting that if a species goes extinct, life continues or even opens the door even further for other species. There has been mass extinction events and yet here we are. In fact if it wasn't for species going extinct we wouldn't be here. So you should be pro extinction no?

I have no issue with shark fin soup. Sharks eat whatever they can, so add them to my menu. And if locals want shark culling off their coast(or not) I support either way. But I don't support people's opinions from where they don't have to directly deal with the issue.

Yes humans negatively impact the environment and pollute the planet. But one day we will also be extinct just like many other species. And the planet will be doing just fine.

At least until the sun explodes.....

[DarthNinja]

This is a tragic story - what a horrible way to die. Sharks, spiders and snakes are the reasons I will never visit Australia, even to see the Neighbours set. Awful.

I'd say you would need to be more concerned about mosquitoes that carry Malaria and/or Dengue Fever etc than snakes, sharks or spiders.

[Gross-Misconduct]

Hmm. I saw the title and thought this was about a shark sexually assaulting a woman.

You're not the only one. I thought the woman was 'pure' since the shark had 'taken' her,

[Azzy Mahmood]

Those are very awful reasons for not going to a place.

But I guess it's okay in your close-minded head.

They're actually excellent reasons. I know two people who have died from spider bites, and a third whom I share an office with whose leg is medically 'dead'. She's part zombie, thanks to a spider bite when she was younger (she's an Aussie).

Any place where death can sneak up on you unseen is a place to avoid. I'd rather enjoy life somewhere safer. You might call that 'close-minded', I call that basic human survival instinct.

[Twilight Sparkle]

They're actually excellent reasons. I know two people who have died from spider bites, and a third whom I share an office with whose leg is medically 'dead'. She's part zombie, thanks to a spider bite when she was younger (she's an Aussie).

Any place where death can sneak up on you unseen is a place to avoid. I'd rather enjoy life somewhere safer. You might call that 'close-minded', I call that basic human survival instinct.

i don't care what nice things people say about australia, but having the world's most deadily... anything, i'm happy being narrow minded and staying away from there

[KFBR392]

I enjoy sharks and they fascinate me. However I don't have any personal feelings towards them on way or the other. They are a predatory fish, not highly intelligent and that's all. We kill plenty of fish and don't think twice about it. Personally it's my belief that as a human I am at the top of the entire food chain and that the entire earth is my domain including the ocean. Call it god complex or whatever you like but it is what it is.

I keep hearing about the big deal made out of endangered species but personally I don't buy it. If anything there is more evidence supporting that if a species goes extinct, life continues or even opens the door even further for other species. There has been mass extinction events and yet here we are. In fact if it wasn't for species going extinct we wouldn't be here. So you should be pro extinction no?

I have no issue with shark fin soup. Sharks eat whatever they can, so add them to my menu. And if locals want shark culling off their coast(or not) I support either way. But I don't support people's opinions from where they don't have to directly deal with the issue.

Yes humans negatively impact the environment and pollute the planet. But one day we will also be extinct just like many other species. And the planet will be doing just fine.

At least until the sun explodes.....

That's where we will fundamentally disagree. Every creature, however unintelligent they may be, deserves a place on this planet. Thousands/Millions of years of evolution within their environments means something to me. Just because we're at the top of the food chain doesn't mean we have the right the destroy whatever species we want for whatever horrible reason we try and justify. That's a dangerous game to play in my opinion.

While I can appreciate your opinion, and how civil you're being with it, it really seems like you have a lot of irrational fears about this stuff. Chances are you'll be murdered by a human before being killed by a shark or a spider.

[KFBR392]

i don't care what nice things people say about australia, but having the world's most deadily... anything, i'm happy being narrow minded and staying away from there

There's more than enough wildlife around here that can kill you as well. You must not get out much.

[Ghostsof1915]

"I like to swim naked too......."

SCREAM!

[VICanucksfan5551]

I enjoy sharks and they fascinate me. However I don't have any personal feelings towards them on way or the other. They are a predatory fish, not highly intelligent and that's all. We kill plenty of fish and don't think twice about it. Personally it's my belief that as a human I am at the top of the entire food chain and that the entire earth is my domain including the ocean. Call it god complex or whatever you like but it is what it is.

I keep hearing about the big deal made out of endangered species but personally I don't buy it. If anything there is more evidence supporting that if a species goes extinct, life continues or even opens the door even further for other species. There has been mass extinction events and yet here we are. In fact if it wasn't for species going extinct we wouldn't be here. So you should be pro extinction no?

I have no issue with shark fin soup. Sharks eat whatever they can, so add them to my menu. And if locals want shark culling off their coast(or not) I support either way. But I don't support people's opinions from where they don't have to directly deal with the issue.

Yes humans negatively impact the environment and pollute the planet. But one day we will also be extinct just like many other species. And the planet will be doing just fine.

At least until the sun explodes.....

Sure ecosystems will recover, but it usually takes a long time for them to become "healthy" again. Looking at things even from a purely anthropocentric point of view, extinctions are very harmful because they can have devastating cascading effects, especially if an apex predator like a shark is removed.

The classic example of this is in Yellowstone National Park, where wolves were intentionally eradicated in the early 20th century because they were seen as dangerous. In the subsequent years, the elk population in the park exploded, devastating the vegetation in large swathes of the park, leading to erosion and affecting countless other species in the park. Culling efforts of the elk weren't effective and the park only recovered after wolves were reintroduced.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_wolves_in_Yellowstone

So yeah, eliminating species can have some pretty damaging and unforseen effects. That's just one example, too. Losing species in general affects other species, reduces ecosystem services (stuff done by organisms that benefit humans), and eliminates potential future research opportunities that the organism may provide (for example, many medical advances have come from unexpected sources in nature).

[Guest Gumballthechewy]

Sharks are some of the most elegant creatures on earth, they get a pretty bad rep based on unfounded sensational fears for the most part.

Sharks and wolves are possibly the two most wrongly vilified animals on earth.