Red Sea Shark Attacks

[aguz1126]

Ive been reading a few articles on the recent attacks on swimmers vacationing in the red sea. Perhaps what most intrigues me is the number of theories that arise to explain this "phenom" as some have started to call it. I have read that imprinting, selective feeding, human waste... and even a conspiracy theory are to blame. Your thoughts?

I believe it may be a combination of things... temp fluctuations, reduction in food sources from overfishing, and an increase in opportunities(i.e. more tourist=greater chance for accidental or intentional attacks.) I also read that atleast two of the attacks are proven to be by the same shark. Interesting.

 

[GMaquarium]

My guess would be overfishing. Personally have stayed away from importing Red Sea fish for many years. Some of the spots have always been busy tourist locations. But when I visited Eilat, sharks have were not a major concern.

 

[mr86mister]

Hmmm, I know shark attacks have been known in that area but never in such numbers. Weird to see the sharks are White Tip and Mako's. Neither of these have been known to attack humans like this. Though an increase in tourists to these areas has plenty to do with it. Multiple attacks in one week usually aren't coincidental, something has triggered this. Mako's can be found everywhere in the world so they aren't just confined to the shallow waters there and are some hard core hunters(not as cool as Great White's in Cape Town). Interesting to find out for sure!

 

[RyanEG]

What do you guys think about a learned feeding behavior? Similar to the hunting habits of Orca or White Sharks, humans have only been in the oceans en mass for what the last 100 years or so? Would that seem like a good time frame to learn the behavior? Im just throwing stuff out there....

 

[GMaquarium]

History of humans in Red (Reed Sea) goes back much more than 100 years. But I see what you mean Ryan.

 

[mr86mister]

Go idea Ryan. If there are group dives and they feed the sharks chum to bring them around I'm sure it has been learned by a few sharks.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

it's a conspiracy!

it's a conspiracy!

Europeans have been targeted. Somebody prefers white meat.

 

[aquadonkey]

+1 conspiracy

 

[mr86mister]

Deep Blue Sea! Super smart sharks!