Tag: white shark

Hunter in ‘shock’ as shark attacks dog trying to retrieve duck

A hunter’s Chesapeake retriever was killed by a shark Wednesday after leaping from a boat to fetch a downed duck.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media]A hunter’s Chesapeake retriever was attacked by a shark Wednesday after leaping from a boat to fetch a downed duck.

The female dog, named Pepper, died from injuries sustained in the unusual incident near Port Medway, Nova Scotia.

The dog’s owner, who chose to remain anonymous, told the Global News that Pepper was retrieving her second duck of the morning when the attack occurred.

“It happened so quickly and was so shocking that even though I was looking right at her when it happened, I cannot say for certain what type of shark it was,” the hunter said.

The man hauled Pepper aboard, but she died shortly after. The shark, possibly a juvenile white shark, measured about 8 feet.

The hunter said he shared details of the attack with the Global News as a caution to area water users.

“I was very close to shore, in about 20 feet of water, and my dog was only in the water for a matter of minutes,” he said. “To my knowledge, this is the first time a dog has been taken during a sea-ducking hunt, and it is certainly the first time I have witnessed the violence of such an attack so close to my boat.”

–Great white shark image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Watch: Kayak angler at center of epic battle between shark, seal

A kayak angler on Sunday found himself in the middle of an epic battle between a relentless shark and frightened seal off New Zealand’s Eastern Cape.

A kayak angler on Sunday found himself in the middle of a frenetic battle between a relentless shark and frightened seal off New Zealand’s Eastern Cape.

Greg Potter was so close to the action, which he captured on video, that the shark rammed his 12-foot kayak twice as the seal attempted to use the vessel as cover.

“If it had managed to get me out of the kayak, that that could have been a pretty disastrous ending,” Potter told the New Zealand Herald. “I was dressed in full black. I can only imagine what the shark would have made of my legs thrashing around.”

Potter pedaled his kayak closer after spotting a disturbance in the distance. He soon discovered that he was witnessing a predation attempt by what he described as a young white shark.

“I’ve got a juvenile great white shark chasing a seal out here,” he says in the footage. “It’s unreal.”

The shark seemed unable to immobilize the seal during a chase that lasted more than a minute.

It was not clear if the seal ultimately escaped because Potter smartly pedaled away after the shark began to bump his his kayak.

“When the seal hid under the kayak, the shark came crashing up from underneath and smashed into the bottom of the kayak,” Potter said. “Then they did another few laps around the kayak, and then a second time, the shark again smashed the underside of the kayak.”

As for the shark species, we reached out to California-based white shark expert Chris Lowe and after viewing the footage he doubted it was a white shark.

“There are no black tips on the ventral side of the pectoral fins,” said Lowe, who runs the Shark Lab at California State University Long Beach. “It’s kind of hard to see from the video, but from the frames I stopped I couldn’t see distinct black on ventral side of the pects and the body seems pretty thin.”

Regardless, it was a harrowing encounter for Potter, who had been fishing six miles beyond Waihau Bay.

–Image is a video screen grab

Cooking up great white shark lands food blogger in hot water

A Chinese food blogger who cut up, cooked, and ate a great white shark – and captured the lavish production on video – has been fined $18,500 by authorities.

A Chinese food blogger who bought a great white shark at market, then prepared and ate the apex predator in a lavish video production, has been fined $18,500 by authorities.

The blogger’s user name is Tizi but authorities identified her as Jin Moumou, while explaining last week in a statement that Jin bought the shark last April for $1,100 and posted her footage in July.

The footage went viral, which is what tipped authorities. (CLICK HERE to watch the video.)

White sharks are protected in China and Jin’s actions were in violation of the “Wild Animal Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China,” authorities explained.

ALSO: Texas angler lands giant bass, but photo could be misleading

According to the statement, the fisherman and “shark sellers” were arrested for catching and selling a protected species. The white shark, a juvenile, looks to measure about six feet.

In the footage, a smiling Jin informs her followers, “Don’t be fooled by their scary appearance, its meat is very tender.”

–Top image showing a juvenile great white shark is courtesy of ©Pete Thomas; story images are video screen shots

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Watch: Massive great white shark rescued from net by fishermen

Surreal footage has surfaced showing commercial fishermen rescuing a massive great white shark from a net alongside their boat.

Surreal footage has surfaced showing commercial fishermen releasing a massive great white shark from a net alongside their boat.

The footage was posted to TikTok by Jason Stephens, whose bio reads: “Commercial fisherman from [Alaska] currently living in the Pacific Northwest.”

The footage was captured last month off Southern California, near Santa Cruz Island. (Click here to view the TikTok version.)

It shows the fishermen tugging the net alongside their boat and ultimately watching the weary predator spill over the net to freedom.

ALSO: Watch as shark turns on diver during botched feeding attempt

Stephens stated that the net was being used to catch squid.

The footage was copied by shark diver/conservationist Andy Brande Casagrande and shared to Instagram with the description: “Awesome to see these fishermen respecting & releasing this massive Great White Shark that was stuck in their net.”

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Great white shark tagged off California approaching Hawaii

A great white shark named Tough Guy, tagged off Southern California in 2021, is approaching Hawaii.

In late October a male great white shark nicknamed Tough Guy revealed his position off Vandenberg Air Force Base north of Santa Barbara.

It was noteworthy because at least three white shark attacks on surfers – two of them fatal – occurred in base waters between 2010 and 2014.

On Monday, Tough Guy was nearing the main Hawaiian Islands, showing the extent to which these apex predators seasonally migrate.

“White Sharks are peeling away from the mainland coast,” Michael Domeier, who runs the Marine Conservation Science Institute, stated via Instagram. “Looks like Tough Guy is coming back to Hawaii to say hello.”

Adult white sharks from California and Mexico typically spend winter in a vast swath of Pacific halfway between the West Coast and Hawaii, with some reaching Hawaii.

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Tough Guy was tagged off Southern California on Nov. 21, 2021. He measured 12 feet at the time.

The Marine Conservation Science Institute has satellite-tagged dozens of white sharks and the public can track their movements via the nonprofit’s Expedition White Shark App.

–Generic white shark image courtesy of Michael Domeier/Marine Conservation Science Institute

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Woman bitten by presumed great white shark off Del Mar, Ca

A 50-year-old woman was bitten by a shark while swimming Friday morning at Del Mar, Calif., prompting authorities to close the beach to surfing and swimming.

A 50-year-old woman was bitten by a shark Friday morning while swimming in Del Mar, Calif., prompting authorities to close the area to surfing and swimming.

The unidentified woman was bitten on the upper thigh and treated by lifeguards before being taken to a hospital, where she was listed in stable condition.

According to NBC News, lifeguards used a float tube and swim fins to assist the woman.

RELATED: In San Diego, a dead great white shark and a plea to anglers

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that lifeguards saw the woman and her companion waving their arms to request assistance.

The incident occurred near 17th Street at about 10 a.m.

It was not immediately clear what type of shark bit the woman, but the several juvenile great white sharks have been feeding in the area, just beyond the surf, for weeks.

Last Sunday, the carcass of an 8-foot white shark was discovered on the beach at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and Beach, just south of Del Mar.

The shark is believed to have died of wounds caused by fishing activity.

The beach closure at 17th Street will remain in effect until 9 a.m. Sunday.

–Image shows the coastline of Del Mar as seen from Torrey Pines State Beach. Credit: ©Pete Thomas

Great white shark ‘Tough Guy’ pings near infamous Ca. surf spot

A tagged great white shark nicknamed Tough Guy has been tracked to an area where at least three attacks on surfers have occurred since 2010.

A tagged great white shark nicknamed Tough Guy has been tracked to an area where at least three attacks on surfers have occurred since 2010.

The male shark, which measured 12 feet when he was tagged in November 2021, pinged this week off Minuteman Beach, 20 miles north of Surf Beach.

Both are on Vandenberg Air Force Base, north of Santa Barbara. Both are open to the public.

Fatal shark attacks occurred at Surf Beach almost exactly two years apart in October 2010 and 2012. A nonfatal bite, also attributed to a white shark, occurred in the same area in 2014.

Tough Guy was tagged by the Marine Conservation Science Institute, run by Michael Domeier.

On Tuesday, Domeier posted Tough Guy’s position via Instagram and asked his followers: “Who can name this notorious beach? Our tagged great white shark, Tough Guy, pinged from here a few days ago.”

RELATED: ‘Sharknado’ moment commands spotlight at California surfing contest

Some of Domeier’s followers are familiar with the area. One correctly guessed Minuteman Beach, while others knew of the area’s shark-attack history.

“The month of October has a reputation at Surf Beach,” one follower wrote, adding crying-face emojis for emphasis.

“Sharktober is real around here,” reads another comment.

Vandenberg is about 30 miles north of Point Conception, a feeding area for white sharks and a tagging area for the Marine Conservation Science Institute.

Great white sharks tagged by MCSI off California and Mexico can be tracked by the public via the Expedition White Shark App.

As of Wednesday morning, Tough Guy’s position off Minuteman Beach had not changed.

–Generic white shark image courtesy of Michael Domeier

Watch: Great white shark grabs spotlight at popular surf spot

A 12-year-old surfer has shared video footage showing a great white shark breaching just beyond where she and her brother were riding waves.

A 12-year-old surfer has shared footage showing a great white shark breaching just beyond where she and her brother were riding waves in San Diego County.

Kaydn Persidok, of Encinitas, posted the footage to Instagram on Tuesday. It shows Kaydn and her brother Reef ripping small waves when, at 27 seconds, a juvenile white shark leaps clear of the surface.

“Anybody else feel a little sharky vibe yesterday out in the lineup?” Kaydn wrote.

The footage was captured at Seaside Reef, a North San Diego County spot popular among up-and-coming stars. Kaydn, who is part of the USA Surfing Olympic Development Team, recalled her experience to The CW San Diego:

“A little while before we saw the shark breach, my friend said she saw something that looked like a shark swim right under her, and right then it got suspicious! The water was a little murky because of the rain and it just felt sharky. Then as we saw it breach my heart raced and I was amazed and stunned but also a bit scared because it wasn’t too far away from us!”

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Kaydn added: “I respect the ocean and all the wildlife and creatures in it! I think it’s really cool to see a shark breach while a surfer is riding a wave! I’ve never seen that before.”

Juvenile white sharks have been spotted sporadically for the past several months close to San Diego beaches, especially the Del Mar area.

Chris Lowe, who runs the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, told FTW Outdoors:

“We’ve still got a dozen or so juvenile white sharks hanging out at Del Mar. Some have been there almost a year now.”

Juvenile white sharks, which can measure 10-plus feet, prey mostly on stingrays and other bottom fishes and are most commonly seen along the Southern California coast in summer and early fall.

Hawaii diver captures rare great white shark encounter on video

A Hawaii-based photographer was astonished Friday to spot a 15-foot great white shark swimming toward him off Kona on the Big Island.

A Hawaii-based photographer was astonished Friday to spot a 15-foot great white shark swimming toward him off Kona on the Big Island.

Deron Verbeck told FTW Outdoors that he was freediving and first spotted the shark about 100 feet below the surface. “But she turned and came up into about 30 feet when I got all the shots and video,” he said.

The accompanying video shows the shark’s close approach as Verbeck captures video footage with a GoPro while also shooting stills. (Video is best viewed with volume.)

Great white shark sightings are rare in Hawaii, but adult white sharks from Mexico and California seasonally visit island waters.

After the encounter, Verbeck joked on Facebook: “Well check this one off the list of things ‘I shouldn’t have been swimming with.’ My first ever GREAT WHITE SHARK! And it happened to be in Kona and a 5-minute drive from my house!”

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Great white sharks tracked to ‘infamous’ California surfing beach

The renowned freediver told KHON 2 that he first thought he had spotted a tiger shark but quickly recognized the classic shape of a large female white shark.

“It just kept getting bigger and bigger and I was like, ‘That is for sure, 100% a great white,’ ” Verbeck said. “And I just shot as much as I could as she went by, and she just disappeared back off the drop, then I was just shaking like, ‘Woah! That was insane!’ ”

The shark, although inquisitive, did not seem to regard Verbeck as prey.

Carl Meyer of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology told KHON 2 that white sharks might be attracted to island waters by the seasonal abundance of humpback whales. (White sharks are known to feast on whale carcasses.)

Michael Domeier of the Marine Conservation Science Institute stated on Instagram that “after a quick scan” the shark did not match any of the nearly 400 white sharks in the photo-identification catalog from Mexico’s Guadalupe Island.

Deep Blue, said by some to be the largest great white shark ever documented, measuring about 20 feet, is in the Guadalupe Island database and has been spotted in Hawaiian waters.

Domeier said his research team suspects that “this beautiful female is from the Central California Tribe or Pt. Conception Tribe” of white sharks.

Domeier stated that the shark “was spotted literally right in front of my house. This is the stuff that gets me out of bed in the morning with a smile!”

Verbeck is an award-winning photographer who specializes in shooting while freediving, or on a single breath without scuba gear. Many of his photos are shared via Instagram.

Great white shark tracked to ‘infamous’ California surfing beach

A great white shark has been hanging out near shore at a popular California surfing destination known for shark attacks.

A great white shark has been hanging out near shore at a popular California surfing destination known for shark attacks.

Michael Domeier of the Marine Conservation Science Institute stated via Instagram Friday that the female white shark was positioned off “infamous” Surf Beach at Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc.

Fatal shark attacks occurred in that area, north of Santa Barbara, almost exactly two years apart in October 2010 and 2012. A nonfatal attack, also attributed to a great white shark, occurred in 2014. (Surf Beach is open to the public.)

The tagged white shark currently off Surf Beach is named Betty White. She was a sub-adult 12-foot female when she was tagged off Southern California in 2020.

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Dozens of sharks tagged by the MCSI can be tracked via the group’s Expedition White Shark app.

The app on Friday and Saturday showed Betty White on land near Lompoc.

Domeier, MCSI president and executive director, explained that the peculiar  positioning “just demonstrates the imprecision of location estimates that are based on the Doppler Effect.”

Still, the sight of a yellow dorsal fin marker well inland inspired attempts at humor beneath Domeier’s post.

“You sure Betty wasn’t hitting up the Starbucks in Albertsons?” one person commented.

To which Domeier replied: “Or maybe looking for a CA dispensary before heading back to [Hawaii].”

–Generic white shark image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas