Cape Town beachgoers have been warned to practice extreme levels of caution when bathing this week, after a bronze whaler shark was spotted at least five times on Tuesday.
Cape Town beaches where the bronze whaler shark was spotted
Shark Spotters, a specialist organisation that protects sea life in Cape Town, posted notices on Facebook, warning of bronze whaler shark sightings made in the last 24 hours.
According to Shark Spotters, the bronze whaler was spotted at:
- Kogel Bay caves at approximately 13:01;
- St James Beach at approximately 13:45;
- Muizenberg Beach at approximately 14:18;
- St James Beach at approximately 14:23; and
- St James Beach at approximately 14:45.
It is unclear, at this stage, if this was the same bronze whaler shark spotted at three Cape Town beaches. This shark breed is renowned for moving in packs, however.
Is this shark breed deadly?
Also known as the copper shark, bronze whalers are not infamous for attacking humans. The only fatal human encounter recorded to-date, according to Shark Sider, occurred in Australia’s Bunker Bay, in September 2011.
More than anything, the bronze whaler is mostly protective over its food and many non-life-threatening attacks are towards spear-fishers.
Very rarely will this breed be found hunting in shallow water. The bronze whaler prefers temperate water that is at least 100 metres deep. This, however, should not encourage beachgoers to ignore cautions.