Dog walker's shock as he finds 5ft blue shark on south coast beach

By Emily Allen


Dead: The rare Blue Shark had a giant bite mark in its side, meaning it could have been killed by an even bigger predator in the English Channel


A dog walker was shocked to discover a five-foot killer shark washed up on a Sussex beach.

The rare Blue Shark had a giant bite mark in its side, meaning it could have been killed by an even bigger predator in the English Channel.

Walker Nikki Lambert showed her find on Camber Sands, East Sussex, to marine biologists who said it could have been attacked by a Great White.


She said: 'I could not quite believe it at first until I got a little closer.
'I have encountered driftwood washed up but not a shark.

'I was told that the only animals who would attack a Blue Shark like this would be a Great White Shark or a Killer Whale.'

Blue Sharks, which can grow up to 12ft long, are not considered to be aggressive but they have attacked and killed humans in other parts of the world.


This shark was discovered on double yellow lines in Aberystwyth in Wales last week after bring washed up following stormy weather


An estimated 20 million Blue Sharks are killed by fishermen every year.

Doug Herdson, of the Marine Fish Information Services, said: 'A blue shark of this size is a juvenile which should be on its way to south-west Spain or north-west Africa at this time of year.'

In Aberystwyth, Wales, last week bank worker Tom Huxley came out of a friend's house and was hit by they smell of rotting fish, but when he went to investigate he found the body of a 4ft blue shark lying inches from the road markings.

Mr Huxley, a former Aberystwyth University student, took a photo the fish outside the Gwesty Cymru hotel on 24 October.

It is not known how the shark came to end up on the road, but experts at Swansea University's Department of Bioscience believe it was washed up in recent stormy weather.

A six-foot specimen was washed up in Lewis, in the Hebrides, in September.


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Diver balances shark VERTICALLY in palm of her hand... after putting it in a trance

By Wil Longbottom


This is the jaws-dropping moment a scuba diver literally holds a 10ft shark in the palm of her hand.

Italian diver Cristina Zenato can clearly be seen doing what many would believe unthinkable - stroking, touching and holding a large ocean predator in tropical Caribbean waters.

The animal is so at ease with her it goes into a trance state, allowing Ms Zenato to hold it vertically in the water with its nose in her hand.

And for my next trick: Christina Zenato 'balances' a Caribbean reef shark in her hand after coaxes it into a trance-like state

She induces the 'tonic' state in the shark using a little-known technique of rubbing the ampullae of Lorenzini - the name given to hundreds of jelly-filled pores around the animal's nose and mouth.

A 'tonic' state is where a shark enters a natural state of paralysis, often by being turned upside down, for up to 15 minutes.

The pores act as electroreceptors detecting prey moving in the electromagnetic field around the shark - but also for some reason rubbing them turns 'Jaws' into a sleeping baby.

Ms Zenato uses her ability to put the sharks in a sleepy state to educate other divers, remove parasites and even take fishing hooks caught in their mouths out.

Photographer Matthew Meier, from San Diego, U.S., captured the moment she brought a Caribbean Reef shark under control.

The 42-year-old said: 'My first time to witness Cristina feeding the sharks was amazing. I expected an adrenaline rush, but the dive was so peaceful and calm.

'It was totally relaxing to watch the sharks swim slow circles around us in hopes of being fed by Cristina. I was in awe and could not keep the smile off my face.

'Sharks are the apex predator of the ocean and it is a privilege to be near them and observe them in their world.'

Smile for the camera: Ms Zenato rubs jelly-filled pores around the sharks' nose and mouth to induce an almost sleep-like state

Ms Zenato has been working with sharks for more than 15 years, but still wears a chain link suit in case one of the animals is tempted to bite.

Mr Meier, a commercial photographer who specialises in underwater, nature and travel, said he hoped to raise awareness of the plight of sharks.

He said: 'We kill millions of sharks every year, with the majority of those having their fins cut off while still alive and then thrown back into the water to die a slow, agonising death.

'If this were happening to dolphins or something cute and cuddly, the would would be up in arms.

'We must fight to save these amazing creatures, as they keep the balance within the ocean and without them the entire ecosystem will be thrown off and forever damaged.'


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Now that's what you call a water hazard! Flooding brings killer sharks to golf course

By LUCY BUCKLAND

The sharks got onto the Queensland golf course when it flooded some years ago after a river broke its banks and became stranded when the water receded, but now they are thriving and even breeding

Teeing off has never been so dangerous.

Although water hazards are a challenge for any golfer, on one Australian course the lake feature definitely has some bite.

At the 14th tee at the Carbrook Golf Club, Brisbane, a dozen man-eating bullsharks are waiting to swallow any lost balls and the sight of their fins poking through the water has even made the place a tourist attraction.


There was a time when local children would jump in the lake to retrieve lost golf balls for extra pocket money - but it is not something they have done for a while

The sharks got onto the Queensland golf course when it flooded some years ago after a river broke its banks and became stranded when the water receded, but now they are thriving and even breeding.

'You can't believe how close you are…just six feet away,' club general manager Scott Wagstaff told Sky News.


Choppy waters: The sharks have become renowned in the region and there is even a monthly tournament called the 'Shark Lake Challenge'

'There's no drama, it's become a positive thing for the golf course. They are amazing. I've become a shark lover since working here.'

There are six bullsharks but the number looks set to rise
Although the lake is well stocked with fish, Mr Wagstaff sometimes throws in meat to encourage the sharks to come near the surface.


source: dailymail

'It was just like Jaws': Angler on kayak is dragged half a mile out to sea after hooking 6ft SHARK off Devon coast

'It was pretty hair-raising stuff. I had been sitting there for about four hours before I felt a huge pull on the line and my canoe suddenly shot off through the water'


By Stephanie Darrall


Catch of the day: Rupert Kirkwood had been fishing a mile off the coast of Ilfracombe, North Devon, in his 16ft kayak when he hooked the five-stone shark


A vet fishing from a kayak was dragged half a mile out to sea after hooking a 6ft shark.

Rupert Kirkwood, 51, was towed around for 15 minutes after a 70lb Tope after it took his bait and headed for the deep.

He had been fishing a mile off the coast of Ilfracombe, North Devon, in his 16ft kayak when he hooked the five-stone shark.


'It was pretty hair-raising stuff. I had been sitting there for about four hours before I felt a huge pull on the line and my canoe suddenly shot off through the water.

'These creatures are known to do a runner and it's just like Jaws - the line flew off the reel. I just had to hold on and wait for it to tire. Eventually it did, and I was able to lean in the water and pull it on board.

'You have to handle them very carefully and I nestled my hand under the tail and pectoral fin before landing it.

'The weight was incredible. I had to be extra careful as one snap of the jaws and I could easily lose a finger or hand.

'It was thrashing around on the canoe before eventually becoming quite still.'

The self-professed 'wildlife nut' and conservationist regularly sits in his canoe and fishes for mackerel as well as bird spotting.

Father-of-four Rupert, who also works as a farm vet, has been canoe fishing for around ten years and landed the beast using mackerel bait.

The Tope was released back into the water unharmed. Rupert added: 'It was thrilling to catch something that big and knocks spots off anything I have landed before.

'It was amazing to catch such a large specimen and was a real rush.'

He told the Western Morning News he had been sitting on the sea off Ilfracombe in poor weather for four hours without a bite when he felt a 'great tug' on the line.

Mr Kirkwood, from Holsworthy, Devon, has been fishing using the small kayak for around 10 years.

His adventures on the boat have seen him paddle the entire coastline of Cornwall and part of the north Devon coastline. He has also used it to sail from Cornwall across to the Isles of Scilly, a distance of 28 miles.

The Tope shark, or school shark, can grow to more than 6ft in length and weigh more than seven stone.

They are found all around the world and generally live further out into the sea but can come in close to the shore. They sometimes live in small schools and are listed as a vulnerable species.

The shark Mr Kirkwood caught was later released unharmed.
Shark experts have predicted that great white sharks will soon be spotted in British waters.

President of the Shark Trust Richard Peirce said the waters off the coast of the UK are an ideal hunting ground for great white sharks, who are already 'occasional vagrant visitors'.

He said it is only a matter of time until his theory that the predators visit British shores is verified.

The shark expert has investigated more than 80 reported sightings of great whites in British waters over the last 14 years but only seven were found to be credible.

Fishermen in Cornwall have reported great whites sticking their heads out of the water, known as 'spy-hopping'.

Fishermen on three different boats described a sighting of a great white within three weeks of one another.

Angler Richard Kirkwood poses with the 6ft Tope which towed him through the sea off the Devon coast for 15 minutes

Caught: The shark dragged Rupert Kirkwood half a mile out to sea before he was able to haul it out of the water


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Riding their luck: 12ft Great White shark pictured in San Diego wave just feet away from oblivious surfers

By Paul Bentley


As Labor Day weekend begins, many will be planning family trips to the beach.

Although, for those in San Diego, this picture might make them think twice.

A terrifying photograph shows the moment a Great White shark was spotted in a wave in Encinitas, California - just a few feet away from completely oblivious surfers.

Lurking: The shark, furthest right, swims through the wave the surfers try to ride


Gary Elliott, a passer-by who took the picture on Wednesday was convinced he had seen a shark - and the claim has now been backed up by marine experts.

'It looks pretty clear to me,' Mr Elliott told CBS8. 'It doesn't look like a surfer. It's not the silhouette of a board.'

The claim was initially disregarded by lifeguards at the beach.

Robert Veria said the photograph had, in fact, captured the moment a surfer duck dived into the wave with his or her knees bent.

Lucky escape: The surfer did not even realise the huge shark was beneath him

Brave or reckless? Surfers continue to ride the waves in San Diego despite the sighting


But marine experts have since confirmed that the picture is most likely to be of a shark.

Ralph Collier, from the Shark Research Committee, told CBS8: 'In my opinion, we are looking at the tail end of an animal that is... 10 to 12 feet, maybe a little more.

Officials said despite the sighting the beach would remain open for the weekend.

The stunning image was taken as two-mile stretch of coastline in La Jolla was reopened yesterday despite three confirmed sightings in a week along the San Diego coast.

Huge: A surfer, top, catches a big wave in Newport Beach, California, yesterday

Dangerous: Fans came out to watch the daredevils ride the massive Californian waves


Beaches had been closed after several people spotted a 12 inch shark fin on Wednesday near the Children's Pool.

Fishermen also found a dead baby seal off the Ocean Beach pier with shark bite marks.

Another two mile stretch of beach in the area was closes last week after a lifeguard saw an 18 inch dorsal fin.

Fierce: The waves crashed down with huge force as surfers battled the conditions


The picture also comes as other astonishing images were taken of surfers hitting the waves in their droves in California yesterday despite being told to keep out of the water because of dangerous conditions.

Authorities issued warnings about waves pounding the central California coast that left a swimmer missing and caused a marijuana smuggling boat to crash onto a beach.

Lifeguards conducted dozens of rescues and the massive surf also caused some damage to the Ocean Beach and San Clemente piers.




source:dailymail

Swimmer torn to pieces in tiger shark feeding frenzy off Australian 'paradise island'

By Richard Shears


Fatal attack: A tiger shark, like the ones which attacked an killed an Australian swimmer off Fantome Island, Queensland


A holidaymaker has been torn apart in a feeding frenzy by a shoal of tiger sharks off a 'paradise island' in Australia.

The Melbourne man, known to his friends as Rooster, had set out with three others to retrieve a small boat that had broken free of its anchor off Fantome Island, lying 40 miles north east of the Queensland city of Townsville.

He failed to return from the evening swim to pick up the boat and his friends found his body the following morning.


Allan Jefferson, of Queensland's Emergency Management authority, said: 'Four of them went swimming out to the boat, three of them made it and the fourth one never got there.

'The person has gone into the water to retrieve the boat last night and has not returned.'

The builder, who has not yet been named, was taking a break with a group of friends when they decided to retrieve the small boat, the Townsville Bulletin reported.

Lynndel Prior, a resident on a nearby island, was one of the last people to see 'Rooster' alive when he stopped by to visit her family at the weekend.

She and her partner had formed a close bond with Rooster, adding: 'He and my partner Anthony both hit it off straight away and they became really close mates. So this news has obviously hit us pretty hard.

'It's hard to imagine how a day that started out so great could end up so tragic.'

Fantome Island is a haven for fishermen and campers.
The man leaves behind a wife and stepson.


The tiger shark can grow to a length of more than five metres. It gets its name from the dark stripes down its body, which fade as the shark gets older.


The adult sharks are usually solitary, night-time hunters, which suggests that the ones involved in the Fantome Island attack were younger sharks in a group.

The tiger shark is considered to be a near threatened species due to excessive fishing. It is second only to the great white shark for the number of recorded attacks on humans.


source:dailymail

Could this really be the shark that killed a British honeymooner in the Seychelles?

By Rob Cooper


Seychelles fishermen believe they may have caught the shark which killed a British honeymooner Ian Redmond as he went snorkelling yards off the beach.

Locals are actively hunting down predators after the 30-year-old and a Frenchman were both killed in the space of two weeks.

Mr Redmond was around 20 yards from the shore when he was attacked by a tiger shark on Praslin Island.

To blame? Locals claim one of these could have been the shark which killed a British honeymooner on a beach. Tests will have to be carried out to confirm whether these animals were responsible


These two tiger sharks were caught on the opposite side of the island from where the newly-married man was attacked. Experts will carry out tests to see if there is any evidence that either of these sharks attacked the British IT specialist from Nelson, Lancashire.

Although the sharks have been caught it is too early to tell if one of them is responsible.

Police said the fish will be examined to see if either of them were involved.

Experts now believe the honeymooner was bitten by a four-metre tiger shark and not a Great White as initially thought.

The attack, the second in less than a month, has rocked the tiny archipelago and stoked fears that the islands' tourist industry will be badly affected.

Strung up: One of these could have been the shark that killed British honeymooner Ian Redmond. Tests will be carried out on the animals to see if they were the ones responsible

Tiger sharks are aggressive and are known to have carried out a number of attacks around the world.

Tragic Mr Redmond, an IT specialist, died moments after the attack which happened at Anse Lazio beach.

Nicolas Virolle, a 37-year-old English teacher from France had been killed nearby in a similar attack less than two weeks earlier.

Jean Toussiant, from Seychelles Police, said: 'Until now there is no indication that these are the sharks responsible.

'The sharks will have to be taken away to be examined and this will take time.'

South African shark expert Mike Anderson-Reade, who is a member of the Kwazulu Natal Shark Institute in South Africa, examined a fragment of tooth, which was removed from Mr Redmond's leg following the attack.

He also studied photographs of the injuries sustained by the two men who died to assess the size of the shark's gape.

He said: 'From my conclusions, from what we could see and from the bite and the way the bites were, we believe it was a tiger shark and that it was about four metres long.

'Although shark attacks are very rare, normally it is one of three shark species which are responsible - the white, tiger or bull shark.

'They caught a tiger shark this morning. We dissected that animal and it had no human remains in it.

'Eleven days after the event, it's debatable whether there still would be human remains in it.

Shark victim: Ian Redmond 30, died 20 yards off the beachof Anse Lazio, close to his wife Gemma, 27


'Those animals are capable of regurgitating food. It could bite someone then regurgitate it days later.'

Exclusion netting is being put in place to protect the beaches for swimming and diving.

He said: 'Local fishermen are using drum lines and long lines to catch the shark, and should probably be looking at some form of exclusion netting, similar to the kind used in Hong Kong.

'This acts as a physical barrier which keeps large fish out, rather than killing them.'

However, the expert believes the shark responsible for the attack has most likely moved on from the area.

He said: 'They would be very lucky if they get that animal. A fish can move a long way away and the shark could be long gone.'

Luxury honeymoon: The British couple were on the Anse Lazio beach, pictured, yards from where a Frenchman had been killed two weeks beforehand


source:dailymail

Open wide: The diver who nearly got swallowed by a whale shark

By Daily Mail Reporter


Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...

This diver almost got sucked into the mouth of a massive whale shark while it fed on thousands of plankton.

The shark, the sea's largest fish, is actually incredibly docile. The relieved diver escaped from the encounter unscathed and continued to enjoy the presence of the extraordinary animals.

Jaws: This diver almost got sucked into the mouth of a massive whale shark as it fed on plankton


The photograph was taken during a feeding frenzy where more than 600 of the 40ft animals gathered to feed on tuna spawn.

Other amazing pictures from the session taken by photographer Mauricio Handler show 'shark suckers' - other fish attached to the animals as they swam through the sea.

Mr Handler travelled to Isla Mujeres, in Mexico, and used high-tech equipment to capture the incredible moments underwater.

Whale sharks have mouths up to 1.5 metres wide that contain up to 350 rows of teeth. Despite their size, they do not pose a risk to divers.

Each year they converge in water off Mexico where they filter feed by sieving plankton from the water. They swim with their huge mouth open sucking masses of water filled with spawn into its jaws.

BFGs: Whalesharks, the sea's largest fish, are actually very docile

Mr Handler, a 49 year old father of two, said: 'The picture of the diver staring into the gaping jaws of the shark was an incredible adrenaline rush.

'I led an expedition of photographers and when you're down there with the fish it is like another world.

'On our last day I was taking a photograph of a whale and it ended up swimming at my photographer friend.

'They don't have very good eyesight but the diver managed to get out of the way.

'If he had have been sucked into the massive mouth the shark would have just spat him out.

'The sharks return here each year to feed on the tuna who spawn billions of eggs. This year there were about 600 and it was amazing to see.

'They are beautiful animals and are incredibly docile. Once I was accidentally hit by a whale shark when I failed to get out of the way in time while it was feeding.

'It gave me a good whack as it went by and I certainly felt it. I also got some great shots of shark suckers which hitchhike on to the fish.

'It's quite disgusting, but they attach themselves on to the sharks with large suction discs and feed off the creature's excrement.

'As long as they remain hooked on a ride they will have a constant source of food and can remain attached even at high speeds.'

Mr Handler, from Maine, in the U.S., added: 'We use very hi-tech equipment to capture a very raw moment on camera.

'I feel as if it is my job to show people what they have never seen before. I'm there trying to get a unique angle so I put myself on the edge, right in the action.

'I want people to realise these animals are here but one day they will not be. We are treating the ocean like a supermarket and not allowing it to heal itself.'

Open wide: Whale sharks have mouths up to 1.5 metres wide that contain up to 350 rows of teeth

Majestic: These photographs were taken during a feeding frenzy where more than 600 of the 40ft animals gathered to feed on tuna spawn


source:dailymail

Just popped out for a bite? Great white shark leaps from the sea and lands... on the deck of a full BOAT

By Daily Mail Reporter


Wild: The half-tonne great White Shark thrashes around after jumping from the sea onto the deck of the marine research boat in Mossel Bay, South Africa


When a team of marine scientists began throwing sardines into the ocean they were hoping to get a closer look at great white sharks.

But little did they expect that they would come face-to-face with one of ferocious beasts after it jumped out of the water - and landed in their boat.

The wild three-metres long creature began flailing around on the deck snatching at the air with its razor-sharp teeth.

Beast: The crew of seven scientists wrestled with the predator in a desperate bid to throw it back into the ocean but they were unable to get it under control


The brave team had to wrestle the half-tonne predator until it could be tossed back into the water at a nearby harbour in Mossel Bay, South Africa.

'Activity around the boat ceased and all was pretty quiet at the stern,' team leader Dorien Schroder said.

'Next thing, I hear a splash and see a great white breach out of the water from one side of the boat hovering, literally, over a crew member chumming on the port side.'

Six members of Oceans Research organisation were collecting data on sharks in, 388km west of Cape Town, in a research project.

The seven-strong crew used sardines as bait to attract the predators and were able to observe four great whites, that are known locally for bursting through the surface as they prey on seals.

But the crew were taken by surprise when the killer fish leaped out of the water and landed on the boat's fuel and bait storage containers, the Cape Times reported.

The crew backed off, hoping the shark would find its way back to the water - but the creatures panicked, cutting fuel lines as it thrashed about.

Caring: A brave researcher grapples with the shark as he helps it back into the ocean


Freedom: Two of the shark scientists release the creature into a nearby harbour, only for the shark to beach itself a short while later and need yet more assistance


The scientists radioed for help poured water over the shark's gills to keep it alive. They even tied a rope around the shark's tail in desperate bid to haul it back onto the ocean

But the thrashing creature refused to budge and the boat was eventually towed back to harbour and the shark was lifted back into the water with a crane.

But the giant fish still caused problems. The shark was unable to navigate out of the harbour and it beached itself half an hour later.

A team led by Oceans Research's co-director, Enrico Gennari then tied ropes to the shark's tail and pectoral fins, and slowly towed it out to sea, where the fish recovered and swam away, The Guardian reported.

Mr Gennari said the chaos was the first time he'd heard of a great white jumping onto a boat.

But he added that the fish could have mistaken the boat's shadow for prey or been disturbed by another shark.

'It's all speculation,' Mr Gennari said.

'But sometimes a shark breaches the surface when it feels another shark underneath it. They (move) like a flying fish and end up several meters away.'


source:dailymail

I've caught ... a shark! Angler reels in 170lb monster off Pembrokeshire coast

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Catch of the day: Wayne Little (right) poses with the 170lb blue shark before releasing it back into the sea


An angler has caught one of the most lethal shark species known to man after the fish arrived in their hundreds in British waters.

Wayne Little, 42, hauled in the 8ft blue shark off the holiday beaches near Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, last week.

Mr Little's catch came just months after he hooked in another blue shark which was so big it would have broken a British record had he not thrown it back in the water.

He used mackerel bait to entice the blue shark, one of many species which are believed to have been drawn to British waters because of the warmer weather.


Blue sharks have been seen in increasing numbers around the British coast and are believed to have been drawn here thanks to warmer sea temperatures


The warmer waters of the Gulf Stream in the South-West have made the Pembrokeshire coast is one of the UK's best spots for shark fishing.

According to shark experts, there are now 'hundreds' of blue and porbeagle sharks 20 miles off the South-West coast.

Blue sharks can grow up to 13ft long and have been known to attack humans.

Mr Little spent nearly an hour reeling in his latest monster catch, which weighed a whopping 170lb.

After getting it aboard, the shark thrashed about, so boat charter skipper Andrew Alsop sat on its head to stop it from biting them.

The pair then carefully lifted the specimen up for the camera - and captured the fish with a bizarre enigmatic smile on his face.


Hot spot: The warmer gulf stream on the Welsh coast has made places like Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire (pictured) one of the top places for shark fishing in the UK


After measuring its length and girth, they were able to calculate its weight at around 170lbs before throwing it back into the sea safe and well.

Wayne said: 'Blue sharks travel on the Gulf Stream and come up on the warm water.
'Sea temperatures off the South-West have warmed up in recent years and now we are getting a hell of a lot of them out there.

'You are probably talking about hundreds of blue sharks, if not 1,000, about 20 miles off the South Wales coast.

'But not a lot of shark fishing goes on in our waters and so nobody really realises just how many there are here in the summer months.'


source :dailymail

Forget jump the shark... Amazing video captures moment when surfer saw Jaws flying overhead

By Mark Duell


Scroll down for video

Leap: An incredible video by award-winning photographer Jacob Langston was captured of a 4ft spinner shark jumping over a surfer


The phrase ‘jump the shark’ was first used to describe a moment where something once great has reached a point where it can only get worse.

But for one gob-smacked surfer in waters off New Smyrna Beach in Florida, it was something he'll remember forever after a shark jumped him.

An incredible video by award-winning photographer Jacob Langston was captured of a 4ft spinner shark jumping over the surfer.

Spot: Mr Langston caught the moment when he was chest deep in inlet waters - but didn't see what had happened until he edited the video


Mr Langston caught the moment on a GoPRo HD camera when he was chest deep in inlet waters, reported the Orlando Sentinel.

But he was not anticipating it as his focus was actually on the foreground and he did not see the moment while he was filming.

A surfer reportedly asked him after it happened: ‘Dude! Did you see that? A four-foot spinner shark just jumped over a surfer.’

Later back in his office while editing his video, he realised what he had captured in the background, reported the Chicago Tribune.

In the air: The spinner shark was spotted off a Florida beach (file picture)


The incredible moment when the shark performed a jump happens in the back area of the shot in between two surfers.

The ‘jump the shark’ expression originally came from TV series Happy Days, when the character Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis.

This was labelled the worst point of the show and following that it was said to have no similarity to its original brilliance.

See video here
 


source:dailymail

Open wide... but not TOO wide please: Feeding time for giant whale shark

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Snack attack: A diver feeds whale shark Hachibei during a training session at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium in Yokohama, Tokyo


On first appearances, this diver's task seems a little daunting - as he pours a bucket of plankton into the gaping mouth of a whale shark that looks like it could swallow him whole.

But despite its size, Hachibei, who at five metres is among the world's largest and rarest species, is completely harmless.


Feeding time: The rare five-metre long fish is the latest visitor attraction at the marine park in Tokyo bay


The shark is the latest visitor attraction at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium on the edge of Yokohama Bay in suburban Tokyo.

The aquarium is one of the largest in Japan and is also home to an amusement park, including a rollercoaster which swings out over the ocean.

The largest confirmed whale shark was 12.65 metres but it is thought they can grow to considerably greater lengths.


A quick bite: A keeper feeds the whale shark on a mixture of algae, plankton and krill


The shark is found in tropical waters and lives for around 70 years. They feed mainly on plankton, microscopic plants and sometimes small fish.

It has a cavernous mouth that can be up to 1.5 metres wide and contains between 300 and 350 rows of tiny teeth.

The whale shark does not pose a significant danger to humans - and sometimes allow swimmers to hitch a ride.


Friendly: Despite being a shark, the creature does not pose a risk to humans


source: dailymail

Aquarium bosses stunned after discovering secretive shark has lived undetected in tank for YEARS

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Water shock: Blackpool Sea Life Centre's Martin Sutcliffe holding the egg that gave away the tank's secret resident


Stunned aquarium staff have discovered that a shark they did not know they had has been living undetected in their ocean tank for years.

Staff at Blackpool Sea Life Centre were baffled when two shark eggs were discovered in a tank occupied by resident sharks which give birth only to live young.

The centre's marine experts speculate that one of several former curators must have introduced a small tropical carpet shark to the display without recording the fact, and it has been in hiding ever since.


Eggs-traordinary: The egg found in the Ocean tank could not have been laid by any of the known sharks that live there


‘When we found the first egg during a routine dive in the ocean tank just before Easter, we initially thought it must be artificial, and part of the tank's theming decor,’ said senior aquarist Martin Sutcliffe.

‘We were all completely baffled when we took a closer look and realised it was real, and then we found another one about three weeks later.’

Sea Life's veterinary consultant and fish specialist Sue Thornton confirmed that the four-inch-long eggs come from a carpet shark - a family so-called because of their habit of lying static on the seabed.

Mr Sutcliffe said: ‘The ocean tank is a massive half-a-million litre display with numerous dark nooks and crannies amongst the theming, and it is just feasible that a small shark could have stayed hidden.

‘A small carpet shark would possiblyfeel threatened by the larger sharks in the tank, which is the only explanation we can come up with for it keeping out of sight for so long.’


source :dailymail

British couple told to keep quiet after spotting shark close to Egyptian holiday resort

By Daily Mail Reporter


Killer: A British couple saw a tiger shark biting into a human corpse off the Egyptian coast


A British couple holidaying in Egypt saw a shark feasting on a human body but were asked not to mention the incident.

Richard King and Laura Hooper were on a dive boat near Sharm el-Sheikh when they saw a tiger shark eating a corpse only a few hundred yards from the shore.

But rather than stopping the boat to fish out the female body, the tour company kept going and told their passengers to keep quiet about seeing the shark.

Egyptian authorities had temporarily banned all diving at the resort last December after a German female tourist was killed by a shark in front of horrified swimmers.


At least four other tourists were thought to have been injured in shark attacks at the same time.

Mr King, from Swindon, told The Sun his partner was reduced to tears by the gruesome sight as they went on a scuba diving excursion.

‘We were asked by the crew not to say anything as it would be bad for tourism,’ he added.

‘We couldn't believe it when there were people swimming in the water the next day. There was no mention of sharks in the water or a dead body.’
The pair cut short their holiday after their shark encounter as their taste for the ocean had been ruined.

A spokesman for the tour company involved said the corpse had not been killed by a shark and insisted the dive boat crew reported the sighting even as the vessel kept moving.


Diving fears: Sharm el-Sheikh saw several shark attacks last year


Source:dailymail