Enlarge / Spydro digital camera picture of a bull shark stealing a fish on the crew’s line. (credit score: Nationwide Geographic)
Weipa is a small coastal mining city in Queensland, situated in northeastern Australia, notably favored by sports activities fisherman due to its annual competitors, the Weipa Fishing Basic. However lately, fishermen have reported an growing variety of incidents the place native bull sharks are pulling off audacious underwater raids, actually ready till a fish is hooked and chomping it off the road. Some fisherman estimate they will lose as a lot as 70 % of their catch to the sharks, which appear to particularly goal fishing boats.
(Some spoilers for the documentary beneath the gallery.)
It is atypical habits for bull sharks and it raises an attention-grabbing query: is that this proof that this species of shark—identified (a bit unfairly) within the common creativeness for being aggressive “senseless killers”—are extra clever than beforehand assumed? That is one of many questions that shark biologists Johan Gustafson and Mariel Acquainted Lopez got down to reply, and their preliminary subject work has been documented for posterity in Bull Shark Bandits, a part of Nationwide Geographic’s 2023 SHARKFEST programming. SHARKFEST is 4 full weeks of “explosive, hair-raising and celebratory shark programming that … showcase the fascinating science, energy and wonder of those magnificent animals,” per the official description.
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