That's a big shark

[doogster]

This is one BIG shark:

http://www.hawaiisharkencounters.com/GWS.html

Evidently the record is 21 feet, and this one is 20, caught last December off Hawaii. Notice that the shark shows no signs of agression toward the diver. Great Whites are not agressive sharks, people just think they are because of a movie released a while back.

[hydroped]

This is one BIG shark:

http://www.hawaiisharkencounters.com/GWS.html

Evidently the record is 21 feet, and this one is 20, caught last December off Hawaii. Notice that the shark shows no signs of agression toward the diver. Great Whites are not agressive sharks, people just think they are because of a movie released a while back.

That's not entirely accurate.. the majority of great white sharks are non aggressive toward humans but there have been historical records showing very Untipical behavior by a few great whites where one shark was documented to have attacked a person.. not once as in what's typical - a bite and release - but multiple times. This happened back in 1916 on the east coast. The shark was spotted in a river and identified by a retired ship captain but no one believed him until the attacks started happening. Several people were attacked along the river course totalling 5 attacks over a 10 day period resulting in 4 deaths. Which most likely formed the base idea for the novel Jaws. A couple of years ago we had a swimmer here killed by a great white. While the great white is not the most agressive shark in the waters it is still in the top 5 dangerous sharks list. However it's interresting to note that the humbolt squid of Baja California is commonly far more agressive than any shark and they hunt in packs <_< And here's a weird note - we had a seal attack a surfer a few years ago also.. seal attacks In the water are just about unheard of but that year several surfers reported unusually agressive seal behavior and one actual attack.. wierd.

David

[Missymew]

So, its still not safe to go back into the water.

Susanne

[havanaholly]

Oh, it's safe to go in the water, just don't go in during man o' war spawning season or act like a sick or dying fish.

[Anya]

What are gorgeous animal.

Great whites are not aggressive, they are hunters. To me aggression and being a hunter are two separate things entirely. I'd say that people are aggressive because they do attack without a purpose, sharks on the other hand attack to kill in order to survive. Look how the shark is in the photos on the link. If they were aggressive they'd attack no matter what. That shark has probably already had a good meal.

If sharks smell blood in the water ( I think they can smell blood from over a mile away) they go in for the kill. Also people resemble seals when they go surfing and because a sharks eyesight is poor they will go for almost anything that resembles a seal because they like eating them. Usually it is the surf board that gets attacked.

Humans are the only ones to blame if they ever get attacked by a great white. We do not belong in the sea and if we cross into their territory we should take on board that we are putting ourselves at risk.

I hate it when sharks get tracked down and killed (don't know if they still do this now) because of a person being attacked by a shark. The person has a choice whether or not they want to enter the sea, no one forces them, the shark doesn't have that choice.