A 4.3m Great white shark was caught in experimental whelk fishing nets in Fish Hoek on Sunday 11 March, highlighting yet again the perils of fishing gear in our shark-rich waters. The shark was a large female, with a weight of 886kg. Authorities on the scene believe that the shark died of suffocation after getting entangled in an experimental whelk fishing net that was intended to catch sea snails. The permit for the fishing boat was issued...
“We are not afraid of predators, we’re transfixed by them, prone to weave stories and fables and chatter endlessly about them, because fascination creates preparedness, and preparedness, survival. In a deeply tribal way, we love our monsters…” E.O. Wilson, sociobiologist Cape waters are home to one of the largest concentrations of great white sharks in the world. Fossil records, like the discoveries of preserved teeth found on the...