Two great white sharks sighted in Gansbaai

Posted on 3 November 2020

Conservation, education and tourism are the forefront of Marine Dynamics, based in Gansbaai. The company recently shared exciting news of two female great white shark sightings, which occurred over two consecutive days.

Sharks have garnered a reputation for being bloodthirsty for human flesh when in reality, the global average of fatal shark attacks is four per year.

In 2019, there were 5 fatal shark attacks on humans, 2 of which were unprovoked. The sad irony is that human beings kill more sharks per year than vice versa. The global average of sharks killed per year by humans is 100-million.

Without sharks, oceanic ecosystems would collapse. The fish populations they feed on would boom. The food source such as plankton, microorganisms and shrimps would perish, causing the animals dependent on these for survival, to starve.

Sharks help to maintain the balance of ocean ecosystems. They regulate the food chain, keep fish populations under control and keep reefs healthy.

Great whites have not been spotted in Gansbaai since before lockdown and Marine Dynamics have recently celebrated two consecutive sightings of these magnificent creatures.

The first sighting happened on Sunday, November 1. A 4.5m female great white emerged from the deep while cage divers were watching over bronze whaler sharks.

The female white shark appeared from the deep. Picture: Marine Dynamics/ Alina Pryazhkina

She circled the boat at first. Picture: Marine Dynamics/ Alina Pryazhkina

She then returned and guests and crew were beyond excited. Picture: Marine Dynamics/ Alina Pryazhkina

The second sighting happened on Monday, November 2. Getaway spoke to Marine Dynamics about the second sighting. The team explained that after about an hour out at sea a female juvenile great white appeared.

‘She passed by behind the bronze whaler sharks at first and then approached closer, passing the cage a few times. She stayed in the vicinity for the rest of the tour, with multiple sightings.’

Marine Dynamics explained that the lack of great white sightings are due to a number of reasons.

‘White sharks have been quite sporadic and rather unpredictable in our area for the last three years. We suspect many factors affected this: with the presence of Port and Starboard (two orcas hunting great whites for their livers) we saw a flight response from Great White sharks, a direct correlation with the fewer sightings of white sharks we observe.

‘But also the reason for this can be shifting of currents or their prey, which is not only Cape fur seals that we have around the area, but also smaller sharks and bony fish. Great White sharks are naturally highly migratory species.

‘Gansbaai see White shark sightings throughout the year. The average numbers can depend on the time of year.

‘Marine Dynamics had consistent daily Great White sightings prior to the Orca predations. Average number of White shark sightings per month is difficult to establish post COVID lockdown.

‘In March 2020 we saw 8 individual sharks, where during the end of 2019 we saw from 3 to 16 individual sharks. The only consistent monitoring of white sharks is done by the daily observations on cage diving trips.

‘Research of white sharks is also facilitated by this industry. In particular, Marine Dynamics and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust has done extensive work and published numerous scientific publications on white shark behaviour and movements, population, wound healing, all in an attempt to impact conservation policy of this species. See list of publications here. Alison Towner has contributed to two global collaborative papers on the future research priorities for white sharks and the impact of fishing on sharks,’ said the team.

Gansbaai is world-famous for its shark cage diving. Marine Dynamics works hard to change people’s misconception of shark cage diving. Their research and conservation efforts are a testament to their commitment to protecting sharks.

Marine Dynamics can accommodate 35 passengers with crew on their vessels ordinarily. With COVID Protocols tours can accommodate 28 passengers plus crew members.

Trip duration: Depending on the shark activity, approximately 3 hours.

Read: To sleep or not to sleep: Do sharks get shut eye?

Take a look at the incredible sighting below.

The second white shark. Picture: Marine Dynamics/ Kelly Baker

The second sighting was of a juvenile female. Picture: Marine Dynamics/ Kelly Baker

Where have the great whites gone?

Marine Dynamics said the following on the disappearance and drop in sightings of great whites in the area:

‘There has been much confusion for the public on white shark disappearance based on various media reports. Be mindful to note that there are three areas that white shark cage diving operations occur thus this is where we monitor shark presence and absence. Shark cage diving is the only official monitoring of this species in South Africa with this information provided to government every month – that is Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries – the department that provides cage diving permits.

‘White sharks are highly migratory and move along the entire South African coastline. The shark ‘disappearance’ noted was first documented post the arrival of two orca, known as Port and Starboard, who predated on white sharks primarily for their nutrient rich liver.

‘This hunting behaviour by these two had first been seen on seven gill sharks in False Bay but this was the first time that carcasses of white sharks were found and could be necropsied to confirm cause of death. This hunting behaviour has been seen elsewhere in the world but was the first documented for South Africa, but only because the carcasses washed up. They may have killed others not accounted for.

‘There was a flight response and the white sharks moved out of the area. They stayed away for longer periods of time so sightings for shark cage dive operators became less predictable. Note though that when reports came out, a couple years after initial predation, that there were no white sharks in False Bay, we were at that time seeing them in Gansbaai.

‘They also seemed to shift eastwards and Mossel Bay reported decent sightings. However, when the orca were in that area, the sharks once again left.

‘Besides a flight response, white sharks face many threats such as shark nets and drumlines in Kwazulu Natal, accidental bycatch, impacts on their food sources based on various fishing industries.

‘South Africa was the first country to protect the white shark, back in 1991, however, these factors have meant we have not seen a recovery in their numbers due to these various impacts and based on our own population study and in collaboration with shark scientists in South Africa, we do not believe there is an increasing trend.

‘A PhD study at the University of Cape Town to which we have contributed data is preparing a comprehensive estimate combining multiple data sets of past and present research on white sharks. Shark cage diving in Gansbaai attracts 85 000 visitors per annum (2016), however this has dropped to around 54 000 (2019).

‘However, through concerted educational marketing efforts on white shark behaviour, the possibility of still seeing one, as well as the presence of bronze whaler sharks being recorded visiting the boats, the shark cage diving operators were able to sustain business.

‘The bronze whaler is a shark that is commercially fished and had only been recorded a few times before at the boat, and is also not often seen by most people so has actually been very popular with shark cage divers with some glowing reviews on the experience with this species. The white sharks have not followed their usual seasonal hunting behaviour around the Geyser Rock seal colony.

This hunting we believe does affect the way the Cape fur seals behave, as previously explored in one of scientific publications (under the seal section here).

Cape fur seals are also know to opportunistically predate on the endangered African penguin, purely for their stomach contents. This can have a further devastating impact on the penguin population of Dyer Island opposite Geyser Rock. The white shark is a key apex predator that provides balance in the ecosystem.

We are greatly concerned about the future of all sharks in South Africa and have driven petitions around shark demersal longliners that are decimating some populations, have been outspoken about shark nets, and more positively have collaborated with other scientists to better understand and protect our white sharks.

Working on sea is full of challenges from difficult sea and weather conditions, and coupled with unpredictable sightings this can affect guest satisfaction and overall tourism perceptions.

This then has the knock on effect on our research and conservation efforts. We never take any species for granted. We work with the Marine Big 5 – whales, sharks, seals, dolphins and the endangered African penguin – and all face many challenges mostly created by humans.

Prior to this disappearance we had very few days that one would not see a white shark in what is one of the most accessible populations in the world, also one of the most affordable to cage dive in, and family friendly as it requires no scuba and is just a breath hold.

Marine Dynamics together with the Dyer Island Conservation Trust has been researching and conserving this area since 2000 with two decades of knowledge used to drive conservation policy.

A key project is also the conservation of the African penguin with a dedicated African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary.

Marine pollution efforts include beach clean-up, fishing line bins, and storm drain catchment nets. There is also a priority placed on community education. Furthermore the absence of the white shark as an apex predator in our marine ecosystem is markedly prevalent, and we are concerned just how quickly other species (some critically endangered ie African penguin) are being impacted by increased predation shifts in prey.

 






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