Shark Attacks in Cozumel

[scubatree]

I always get amused when I hear that "they aren't in this area" line. A few years ago, a boatload of divers had just returned to Hotel Cozumel Resort from their 2 tank morning dive. One of the divers was showing photos on his digital camera and talking about the Crocodiles they had seen while diving that morning. The divemasters/guides that worked at Dive Paradise started saying "no, no, the crocodiles are in the lagoons. We dive here every day for many years and have never seen them in the open waters". Well you should have seen the look on the dive masters/guides faces when the diver said "well look at my photos of these guys because they must not have known the rules." Then proceeded to show them the photos on his digital camera of the crocs he had photographed. The locals guys were amazed. I actually saw the photos and was amazed myself. Just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it can't happen.

Moral of story is that the ocean is like a wilderness and the animals can go or eat whatever they want to.

 

[sharky60]

Shark Week: 10% fact, 90% hype.

 

[scubatree]

And we think the sharks are bad!

Swedish men warned of crotch-chomping fish - The Local

 

[cbm32]

Sharks rarely attack live people... it is too much work. They are really lazy and want their food either near death due to injury or already dead. Most likely she was hit by a propeller, which made her bleed and most like die quickly, then her body unfortunately became fishfood. Sad. Sorry, but that is just how I see it.

While I agree that shark attacks on people are relatively rare, and most often a case of mistaken identity, many shark species are active hunters and not just scavengers. They do attack living things and sometimes those living things ARE people. Having said that, I believe it is around 91% of all shark attacks on people happen at or within 6 feet of the surface. I am not terrified of sharks and, in fact, go out of my way to have chances to dive with them. Not because I think they are too lazy to attack me but because I believe they are, in most cases, simply not interested in me as food or as a plaything. But I am very aware/careful upon entering and exiting the water if I know sharks are in the vicinity, as that first six feet is when I am most likely to draw their attention.

 

[ggunn]

While I agree that shark attacks on people are relatively rare, and most often a case of mistaken identity, many shark species are active hunters and not just scavengers. They do attack living things and sometimes those living things ARE people. Having said that, I believe it is around 91% of all shark attacks on people happen at or within 6 feet of the surface.

Surfers are a lot more likely to get hit than are divers. I saw a program (Animal Planet?) where they showed for comparison photos taken from below of a paddling surfer and a seal at the surface. Way too similar!

I surf occasionally and when I am out there it's hard to get those pix out of my head...

 

[drrich2]

I saw that, too, way back when. A surfer lying belly down on his board with arms out to paddle (like seal flippers) & feet sticking off the back (like a seal tail) looks a great deal like a seal from below (so close I'd be hard put to make a better decoy if I tried). Sharks don't only go by sight, as they can sense electrical fields, but at least the way the great whites off Seal Island in South Africa charge up at high speed from below to hit seals unawares, it's got me wondering...

Why don't more great white attacks on surfers take place?

Richard.

 

[robbcayman]

I always get amused when I hear that "they aren't in this area" line. A few years ago, a boatload of divers had just returned to Hotel Cozumel Resort from their 2 tank morning dive. One of the divers was showing photos on his digital camera and talking about the Crocodiles they had seen while diving that morning. The divemasters/guides that worked at Dive Paradise started saying "no, no, the crocodiles are in the lagoons. We dive here every day for many years and have never seen them in the open waters". Well you should have seen the look on the dive masters/guides faces when the diver said "well look at my photos of these guys because they must not have known the rules." Then proceeded to show them the photos on his digital camera of the crocs he had photographed. The locals guys were amazed. I actually saw the photos and was amazed myself. Just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it can't happen.

Moral of story is that the ocean is like a wilderness and the animals can go or eat whatever they want to.

Oh sure... anything can happen. I know there are big crocs on the island. I have heard a few stories of them swimming out into the ocean. However, I have been told that it is most low light when they do it, but they could do it at any time. I talked to a DM and he said he has never seen one on the reef after thousands of dives. I think for the most part they stay in the lagoon.

As for tigers, I think they could roam the reefs, but it would be ultra rare. If it weren't we would hear more about it and surely see more pics. Think of how many divers visit the cozumel reefs each year and many are armed with cameras. With all that said, I would much rather run across a tiger on a reef than a croc any day.... yikes.

 

[JFS]

Ive seen bull sharks, a great hamerhead ( 14ft) and several crocodiles in cozumel in the marine park. About 8 or 9 years ago they caught a great white in Playa Del Carmen. I saw the photo in the newspaper of that. I was circled by a 12 ft bull shark to the surface up in Barracuda reef. Just because we don't see them doesn't mean they are not there....

 

[robbcayman]

Ive seen bull sharks, a great hamerhead ( 14ft) and several crocodiles in cozumel in the marine park. About 8 or 9 years ago they caught a great white in Playa Del Carmen. I saw the photo in the newspaper of that. I was circled by a 12 ft bull shark to the surface up in Barracuda reef. Just because we don't see them doesn't mean they are not there....

Wow, a great white in playa. That is pretty far south for a white shark, but I guess anything is possible. Was it a juvenile white shark?

 

[Only halcyon]

Its 'foolish' to presume anything these days given the increasing number of sightings of creatures outside of what we consider their 'predicted' enviroments. I craved more excitement several years ago and 'sharks' temp satisfied that 'itch'. I still make "Shark" focused dives 3 times a year (2 dives x 11 days anualy).I have encoutered an unexpected Tiger where I was assured it was impossible. Only 2 days ago myself and 2 friends were aproached by 2 Bull sharks that clearly had business in mind. Ive dove in very close proximity more than 50 dives. A chance meeting with a diver, and later we became close friends once told me, "What you understood to be fact yesterday serves only as a penciled guide today". And its true, thats why we love the sport, but should always be self suficient and aware.