Why Are they Shooting Sharks in Australia ?

[Chief Engineer]

If you go in the water and look like food (seals) you are a fool.

Shooting sharks is probably the most lamebrained idea I have heard of.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...7GM_story.html

[hummingway]

Do you have a link with some info on this Chief? I haven't seen anything on it.

[cat man do]

To protect stupid Americans who dress up like seals?

[Jimbo485]

To protect the tourism industry. A N American tourist got attacked by a shark, I think. Maybe they taste better than Aussies?

[Jimbo485]

"stupid Americans"?? No one finds that offensive??

[hummingway]

I think the whistle icon is meant to indicate sly humour but then everyone knows the idea of the existence of a stupid american is so unbelievable as to be bald face farce (now where did I put that whistle icon?).

[Anonymous7500]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

"stupid Americans"?? No one finds that offensive??

Nope. He put the little at the end. Geez!

[hummingway]

I found this article: BBC News - Australia hunts Great White shark which killed US diver

It doesn't look like they are shooting them yet, just hunting for the killer which I think is pretty typical anywhere when there has been a "mankiller".

In the interest of inappropriately making light of a sad situation:

Bryn Martin, a 64-year-old businessman, disappeared while swimming off Perth's Cottesloe Beach on 10 October. His swimming trunks were later found on the sea floor, with damage said to be consistent with a shark attack.

The damage being the fact he was no longer in them?

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

To protect the tourism industry. A N American tourist got attacked by a shark, I think. Maybe they taste better than Aussies?

Nope... can't be that. It's a well known fact that Americans have got no taste

Actually, there have been 3 attacks in the last month or so, and only 1 was American. Just really bad luck I guess.

[RigelKent]

Yes they are trying to address the problem. Nearly every year at least one person is lost to shark attack in WA. Often these are surfers. However recently sharks have attacked two - one was a Aussie swimmer aged 64 - body never found - and now an American diver. Out sailing we noticed there are now special buoys near Perth that track tagged sharks (similar to systems that track problem bears in the Yellowstone Park). They don't deploy shark nets around Perth beaches (as they sometimes do in in on the east coast of Australia). It's thought here that the shark nets are ineffective and dangerous to other species. There are helicopter fly overs along beaches to spot sharks and issue warnings. But its also been suggested going after the sharks responsible. Of course that doesn't answer the question of whether they get the right shark or not.

[DHHong Kong]

One would think these sharks walked up the beach and ate these humans who were foolish enough to actually go swimming and diving in areas very well known to be frequented by great whites. Hunting down the "killer shark" that is just carrying out its every day life is just a stupid, political act to gain clout with the tourism industry that now feels some $$$ hurt. What crap !! The east coast of Oz employs nets in many areas that are well documented to have prevented shark attacks on swimmers for many years yet the Greens are wishing to do away with those nets due to the occasional collateral damage to whales and sharks. The mesh on those nets is too large to endanger smaller species, most whales get freed and the dolphins are too smart.

[Sabbatical II]

Australian Public Servants like to appear as though they are doing something. Are you sure they are not customs officials?

Greg

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by DHHong Kong

Hunting down the "killer shark" that is just carrying out its every day life is just a stupid, political act to gain clout with the tourism industry that now feels some $$$ hurt.

I think you're mistaken in thinking killing humans is an everyday act for sharks. It's very rare. Whatever you may think of it, this is how we deal with maneaters/killers of all species. By and large we are not hunted by other residents of the planet and one way to keep it that way is by catching the killers. It seems better then a cull.

[DHHong Kong]

You are correct Hummingway in that it is an occasional problem however eating things inn the sea is an everyday life thing for sharks, particularly when those "things", possibly human are in areas where there are seals and other sea life and one of those humans is spearing fish!! To kill one shark in a million, perhaps the right, or maybe the wrong, shark is not going to lessen the danger for any other person foolish enough to repeat what these poor souls have done.

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by hummingway

I found this article: BBC News - Australia hunts Great White shark which killed US diver

Afaik it is mostly Tiger sharks that purposefully attack humans to kill. Great Whites only lightly bite and let go to figure out what is it that is swimming in front of them (their vision is not that good).