Little Bay: Experts claim fishos may have lured in shark
The shark which fatally attacked a swimmer could be long gone and may have been lured in if people were fishing nearby, experts have claimed.
NSW
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The shark which fatally attacked a swimmer could be long gone and may have been lured in if people were fishing nearby, experts have claimed.
Police, Surf Life Saving NSW and local lifeguards have begun a search today to try and find the predator — believed to be a 4.5 metre great white — that mauled a swimmer to death in Little Bay about 4:30pm on Wednesday afternoon.
Department of Primary Industries workers have this morning set up smart drum lines and Surf Life Saving drones and a helicopter are also patrolling the waters in the eastern suburbs.
But Macquarie University School of Natural Sciences Professor Nathan Hart said it could be too late, and that the shark could potentially have “moved on” further afield.
“If a great white is the shark involved, they are highly migratory and can travel great distances,“ Professor Hart said.
“I understand the police and coast guard will be trying to locate the shark today but (this species of shark) are highly mobile.”
“They might hang around in one area, but it is equally possible it will have moved on and have travelled a fair distance from (the attack site) up or down the coast by now.”
Thirteen beaches were closed on Thursday as the wide-scale operation kicked off to try and find the shark responsible.
The victim has still not been formally identified by police yet after human remains were pulled from the water on Wednesday evening.
It comes as Humane Society International marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck revealed the shark may have been drawn in towards Little Bay if people were fishing there.
“If individuals, fishermen were in the area and burleying, bait in water increases the risk of attracting a shark,“ Mr Chlebeck said.
He said it was also possible the shark could have mistaken the swimmer for a seal.
“But we do know with great whites, as this attack is expected to be … it could well have been a case of mistaken identity.”
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Originally published as Little Bay: Experts claim fishos may have lured in shark
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