A man aged 40 passed away following an attack by a type of shark previously considered harmless. The individual, a tourist, was swimming and recording approximately 100m from the shore in Hadera, Israel, when he was suddenly encircled by dusky sharks.
Eyewitnesses reported that a shark seemed to target the man’s GoPro camera before the victim cried out for help as he was being bitten. Subsequently, he vanished from view as the water turned red, with shark fins visible on the water’s surface.
Regrettably, when rescue boats arrived, the man could not be located, as per local reports. The incident was detailed in a report published in the journal Ethology, which mentioned that human remains were found at sea the following day, confirming the victim’s identity and indicating he had been consumed by multiple sharks during the attack.
Although dusky sharks can reach lengths of about 3m (10ft) and appear as formidable predators, they are usually timid and cautious around humans. Researchers suggest that the rare shark attack was likely influenced by various factors, such as animal instincts during feeding frenzies, warm water from desalination plants, and the disposal of food waste in the area.
Furthermore, human activities like feeding the dusky sharks to attract larger numbers, as well as fish scraps being thrown into the water by local boat operators for tourists, have led the sharks to associate humans with food, resulting in a new behavior known as “begging.”
Observations have shown sharks approaching divers directly in search of handouts, indicating a competitive food environment that has caused the sharks to exhibit frenzied behavior during feeding times.
To prevent future dusky shark fatalities, researchers emphasize the importance of eliminating begging behavior in sharks by enforcing a complete ban on artificial feeding by the public, stating that other measures would be less effective in addressing the issue.