Snorkeler Killed by Sharks in the Bahamas

[DBPacific]

Good post. But you didn’t address one of the publicly available facts, which is that this was snorkeling that featured pigs in the water. I find it remarkable that much of the debate on this thread right to pretty baseless speculation about shark feeding and menstruation, but glossed over the possibility that maybe the presence of pigs could have been a factor. I’ve done many dives with sharks (chummed and non-chummed), and i think those involved a reasonable level of risk, but I would think twice before hanging out in the ocean surface with a pig thrashing around me. Any thoughts on the pig factor?

Sorry for continuing on the menstruation bit...

I don't know that area or how close the snorkelers would've gotten to the pigs, but the silhouette and splashing might be similar? A few people have discussed the similarities and possible confusion between a pig and a snorkeler already

 

[itsmeok]

Good post. But you didn’t address one of the publicly available facts, which is that this was snorkeling that featured pigs in the water. I find it remarkable that much of the debate on this thread right to pretty baseless speculation about shark feeding and menstruation, but glossed over the possibility that maybe the presence of pigs could have been a factor. I’ve done many dives with sharks (chummed and non-chummed), and i think those involved a reasonable level of risk, but I would think twice before hanging out in the ocean surface with a pig thrashing around me. Any thoughts on the pig factor?

Fully agree. What is of interest to me - was there any warning. Have any pigs been taken by sharks previously or have sharks been seen investigating. A previous poster (from memory) stated that as the pig swimming is so popular it would have been known. Maybe. In situations like this there can be a lot of vested interests and unfortunately there are plenty of examples where incidents are covered up...

 

[FullThrottle]

My last post on this as your post seems to lose sight that we are trying to understand what happened and how to prevent it. If you don't want shark feeding - good - I personally have no strong feelings either way. My point is that I don't think getting rid of shark feeding would have made a difference in this case.

I also agree that killing a shark that was going to attack a human will stop shark attacks. Or just as effective, don't allow anyone in the ocean or rivers.

Anyway, I'm moving on to my next project- exterminating all bees to prevent bee stings. I'm sure you agree that those pro-bee peoples arguments are pretty weak.

I have strong feelings, and thoughts too, on shark feeding. I don't believe that people should interact with large and potentially dangerous wild animals by feeding them, no matter how much the tourists enjoy it, no matter the potential to "engage" people to become conservationists, no matter how profitable it is for local dive operations. We don't have wild bear feedings or wild alligator feedings for a valid reason, in fact that is illegal. Conditioning wild animals to approach people, expecting to be fed, in an area where many people are recreating and likely to come in contact with those conditioned bears, alligators, or sharks, is on it's face an obviously very bad idea.
As for shark nets, they simply do work. I'm neither pro nor con. It's none of my business as I'm not Australian.

 

[The Chairman]

Who fed these guys? Who's to blame here? Sharks are opportunists. They feed anywhere they swim. They have no real fear nor respect of us in their ocean. Why should they? Again, who can we blame for this feeding frenzy?

​

 

[chillyinCanada]

Pete, I don't think anyone is disputing that sharks also have natural behaviours.

 

[Fastmarc]

We will never know if this incident is related to shark feeding. In fact, I personally doubt it, but who knows and that the problem.
I am however with those that are of the opinion that feeding wild animals do condition them to go beyond their normal behaviour. Most of us accept that it is very unusual for a shark to approach a human naturally, especially a diver with all our noises. However I am sure a shark that participates in feeding will do so outside of the feeding zone. Fish are not stupid. Years of having a marine aquaria have taught me this and I would suspect a larger fish like a shark to be the same, not stupid.
Are there some here that truly believe that a change in behaviour from feed cannot or will not or does not happen?

Heck, I've recently have the pleasure of having a little lizard run over to me when he now sees me sitting in my favourite chair on my verandah in the evening sipping on a guinness, to sit next to me and snatch the mosquitoes that dare to approach, including jumping on me to gobble them up. My hero. I do nothing to deter it, so it now has no fear of me. They're not suppose to be that smart, right?

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Thanks for the honorable mention - not sure if you meant my post was BS - from my previous post...

"I posted the research paper. It referenced studies that sharks are intelligent animals and I'd agree that its reasonable to assume that feeding will change their behaviour. BUT there is NO evidence that I can find (and apparently anyone else) that outside of the feeding situation the sharks are more likely to attack. "

Anyway - back to those pesky bees...

Apologies if you thought I was lumping your post in with the first two - for clarification, the mansplaining and the blatant disregard for geography were the items I was singling out as B.S. and the rest were just items I wanted to comment on.

Good post. But you didn’t address one of the publicly available facts, which is that this was snorkeling that featured pigs in the water. I find it remarkable that much of the debate on this thread went right to pretty baseless speculation about shark feeding and menstruation, but glossed over the possibility that maybe the presence of pigs could have been a factor. I’ve done many dives with sharks (chummed and non-chummed), and i think those involved a reasonable level of risk, but I would think twice before hanging out in the ocean surface with a pig thrashing around me. Any thoughts on the pig factor?

I'd rather confirm she was indeed snorkeling in proximity to them first -. If so, that's a factor I would consider. We already had a comment that their hooves make a lot of noise underwater and I can definitely see a shark investigating a swimming pig as a prey item. Over the years there's been some speculation that people swimming with their dogs are at added risk for a similar reason - four rapidly churning legs and a lot of splashing might get a shark's interest.

We will never know if this incident is related to shark feeding. In fact, I personally doubt it, but who knows and that the problem.
I am however with those that are of the opinion that feeding wild animals do condition them to go beyond their normal behaviour. Most of us accept that it is very unusual for a shark to approach a human naturally, especially a diver with all our noises. However I am sure a shark that participates in feeding will do so outside of the feeding zone. Fish are not stupid. Years of having a marine aquaria have taught me this and I would suspect a larger fish like a shark to be the same, not stupid.
Are there some here that truly believe that a change in behaviour from feed cannot or will not or does not happen?

Heck, I've recently have the pleasure of having a little lizard run over to me when he now sees me sitting in my favourite chair on my verandah in the evening sipping on a guinness, to sit next to me and snatch the mosquitoes that dare to approach, including jumping on me to gobble them up. My hero. I do nothing to deter it, so it now has no fear of me. They're not suppose to be that smart, right?

The problem I have with that approach is this is supposed to be a discussion of the accident. If shark feeding is not a factor in this case - and I also highly doubt that, given how far it was from locations where the species in question is present at feeding ops - then continuing to harp on it here is just using this incident (which is the death of a young woman) to get on personal soapboxes about an unrelated issue (which has been debated frequently in other, more appropriate places on these boards).

 

[Dan]

Does ecotourism in the Bahamas affect tiger shark movement & behavior? The study below says no.

 

[CT-Rich]

Does ecotourism in the Bahamas affect tiger shark movement & behavior? The study below says no.

So what they are saying is; 120 nautical miles is not far and a shark that has been acclimated to human divers at a Bahamian feeding station could turn up pretty much anywhere on the US coast. And, they have actually no idea if this a problem or not.

The numbers of attacks where a diver or bather are bitten is very small. How many interactions where a diver or bather encounter a shark but the shark chooses not to strike or steals the divers catch with no injury to the diver are impossible to count.

So, typical human behavior... in the absence of knowledge, destructive behaviors will continue until overwhelming evidence is in escapably been presented and then we will continue the practice for decades.....

 

[RStyle]

The pigs have been there for years. Every day boats show up and they swim out to get treats. I do not think they venture more than maybe 50 -70 feet from the shoreline. Some people will get in the water and will be standing where the pigs are swimming. Yesterday they were there all day...today they were there.......
If the pigs were the issues there would be daily shark frenzies on these beaches and there would not be any pigs left (they are not great or agile swimmers)