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Shark Know How

Emotional statements and media reports sensationalise sharks and shark attacks create paranoia and do little to inform the public of the truth about shark behaviour. We must turn fear into respect for these much maligned animals.

Common Misconception

  • All sharks are dangerous
  • Sharks only attack when hungry
  • There are a lot of deaths from shark attacks
  • Sharks lurk off the beaches only to attack, kill and maim humans

Attack Theories

Whale Shark
There are over 482 species of shark worldwide and 182 species occur in Australian waters, but only a handful are known to be dangerous to humans. There are several theories as to why sharks attack humans. Some attacks may be territorial, others may be related to the invasion of the shark's personal space by the human. Other theories include inquisitiveness (i.e., testing an object with their teeth to see if it is edible), or the shark may have been disrupted during its breeding behaviour. Some attacks may be directly associated with feeding behaviours. Some authors have suggested that only rogue sharks or injured sharks attack humans, however, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

Attacks on People

The collective term “attack” refers to all encounters recorded on the ASAF. The term includes provoked and unprovoked encounters with humans. The types of sharks implicated in the majority of attacks on humans in Australian waters include Tiger Sharks, White Sharks and Whalers (including the Bull Shark) which are capable of inflicting much more damage than they do. The majority of people are bitten and released, which may indicate the shark is not biting to procure food in the majority of cases.

Known Dangerous Sharks

The following animals have been identified in fatal unprovoked shark attacks on humans in Australia:

  • White Pointer (Carcharodon carcharias)
  • Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
  • Whaler Sharks (Carcharhinus sp) (several species occur in Australia with one known as the Bull Shark)

Potentially Dangerous Sharks

The following sharks are considered potentially dangerous because of their size:

  • Wobbegong (Orectolobus sp)
  • Hammerhead (Sphyrna sp)
  • Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)
  • Mako (Isurus sp)
  • Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus)

Remember - any large animal must be considered potentially dangerous to humans (on land or in the sea).