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Tiger Sharks - Galeocerdo cuvier
The main reason for my trip to visit Grand Bahamas was to dive with this majestic animal
They can grow up to 5 meters in length. They get their common name, Tiger Sharks for the 'stripes' on their body. Tiger Sharks are the ocean's apex predator and known to eat anything. Despite the bad reputation that sharks has as senseless killers and/or killing many humans, which is totally not true they can be gentle and 'playful' and enjoying interactions with divers.
It was a privilege to encounter them up close and up to 10 Tiger Sharks in one of the dive.
The tiger shark is a species of requiem shark and the only extant member of the genus "Galeocerdo". Commonly known as the "Sea Tiger", the tiger shark is a relatively large macropredator, capable of attaining a length over 5 m. It is found in many tropical and temperate waters, and it is especially common around central Pacific islands.
comments (7)
Can you educate us a bit more on sharks? Are none dangerous to dive with? Posted 8 years ago
With regards to diving with sharks, there are around 440 species of sharks around the world and mostly are harmless or non-aggressive towards humans especially divers.
In most of my encounters with Sharks, they are relatively shy and avoid divers especially with the loud noises from our bubbles. However, in places like Bahamas, Cocos Island, Galapagos, Socorro, Fiji, South Africa, Mozambique and probably a few other places where Sharks can still be found in good numbers, they may be curious and do approach divers to investigate.
From the 400+ species of Sharks, probably less than 20 species of sharks can potentially be dangerous and/or aggressive towards divers/humans or have known to attack/bite humans :
1. Great White Sharks
Diving with Great White Sharks are mostly in cages and rarely without cages in view of the potential threat.
2. TigerSharks
Most diving with Tiger Sharks are without cages. In Bahamas, the Tiger Sharks seems to be 'friendly' and don't seems to pose a threat but they are still wild animals. I have seen video footages of Tiger Sharks during dives in Cocos Islands, they seems to be curious and approach divers but doesn't seems to pose a threat.
There is a video from South Africa showing a Tiger Shark 'checking-out' a diver, but I wouldn't called it a full attack :
3. Bull Sharks
Most diving with Bull Sharks are without cages. I have dive with them in Fiji on Sharks feeding dives and they doesn't seems to pose a big threat although they have been known to make a bite on the Sharks feeder, by mistake. In Fiji, the Bull Sharks are used or familiar with divers and the diving condition is of a more 'controlled' environment with a few guides helping to look after the divers to prevent any untoward incidences.
I have also dive with Bull Sharks in Mozambique in totally wild condition i.e. not on Sharks feeding or baiting. On several dives, I tried to get near to them but without much success as each time I exhale, the noise of my bubbles make them scatter away!
Posted 8 years ago
This can be aggressive Sharks and have known to attack divers and snorkelers near the surface.
5. Oceanic Black Tip Sharks
I have dive with them in shark feeding dives in South Africa and they do approach divers for close-up inspection and on one occasion, one of them even took a bite on my fins!
6. Silver Tip Sharks
This can be aggressive sharks and have known to show aggressive approach towards divers. When in hunting mode, such sharks can be seen with their pectoral fins pointing down. I have dive with them in Fiji and have one circling me, checking me out. There is a video of them 'attacking' a diver in a shark baiting dive, but the shark handler was 'teasing' the shark by holding back the baits or sitting on the bait, thus putting him in higher risk.
You can see the video here :
7. Silky Sharks
Silky Sharks are more like scavengers and hunts in packs. They have been known to approach divers, nudging on divers to check if they could be 'food'. I had similar encounter with them when snorkelling with dolphins in Galapagos Island when suddenly, big group of Silky sharks showed up and one nudged my leg. At that time, I was a bit far away from the Group and when I realised that, I quickly swim back to the Group.
8. Galapagos Sharks
From Wikipedia, there have been 3 known attacks on human, but not sure if they are divers, snorkelers, surfers or swimmers.
9. Blue Sharks
Have not dive with them yet, but have read that they can be aggressive
10. Mako Sharks
Have not dive with them yet, but have read that they can be aggressive
Other Shark species that may possibly be aggressive are Seven-Gills Sharks, Ragged Tooth Sharks/Sand Tiger Sharks and probably a few others that I may not be familiar with.
All said, they are after all wild animals and for scuba divers, one has to show due respect to them and be familiar with the potential threats. The same can't be said for surfers, snorkelers and swimmers as most shark attacks on them are due to mistaken identity with them looking like turtles, seals or sea lions from below them and they have no opportunity to see the presence of the sharks that attacks them.
Posted 8 years ago, modified 8 years ago
http://sharkopedia.discovery.com/ Posted 8 years ago
Here is a video footage of an unprovoked attacked by Oceanic White Tip Shark. However, do note that this is a snorkelling & free diving encounter and not on scuba gears.
Posted 8 years ago
I posted several videos from my recent trip to Bahamas at my Facebook, you can look them up there. Posted 8 years ago, modified 8 years ago