Great White Lies-"Fair and Balanced Media"

This mornings news from San Diego also included this article about white sharks. In the aftermath of a recent shark attack near here this piece serves as a critical look at the myths and biology of the great white shark.

Overall the reporting is fair-if not "glossy".

Enduring myths about sharks create mistaken identity

May 15, 2008

Peter Benchley once said he could not have written “Jaws,” his best-selling 1974 novel about a giant white shark terrorizing a New England beach town, if he knew then what he later learned.
“When I wrote 'Jaws,' I really didn't know much about sharks,” Benchley said in 2002. “There wasn't a lot of material about them.”

These days, much more is known about white sharks. (The “great” is a misnomer. It's not part of the species' traditional or scientific name.) Benchley, who died in 2006, came to be an ardent advocate of stronger efforts to protect and understand sharks.

Click link for complete article.

Shark Attack in San Diego

This tragedy while unfortunate is the result of life off the California coast.

These waters are sharky, and perhaps more sharky than anyone cares to admit.

It's also a testament to the white sharks ability to not choose humans as a prime prey source. After observing these animals for over 6 years now I have come to realize they will spend a lot of time "watching and observing" suspected prey items before attacking-most often they choose not to.

Off the shores of Nor Cal I often meet surfers who say they have never seen a white shark. My response is always "that's not to say they have not seen you".

White sharks very rarely make mistakes. This particular set up, with a swimmer in a black wetsuit, in the morning, along the shoreline, lagging behind a pack of other swimmers met more than one criteria for this shark to make a tragic mistake.

It is sad anyway you look at it.

Fast Movers-White Shark Tracking Data-TOPP

If there's one thing we absolutely "Geek Out" on here at UT it's fresh white shark shark tracking data. Without a doubt the TOPP program-Tagging Of Pacific Predators-is the 300lb Research Gorilla when it comes to white shark data with it's tagging and fresh data feeds to legions of hungry shark fans.

Barbara Block is the research brainchild behind TOPPs from Stanford. Keep this website handy and check in with your favorite sharks as they get tracked all over the Pacific and beyond.

Here's three reasons to love TOPP:

1. Cool data links with close to real time tracking
2. It's absolutely free
3. If you dive with sharks this is the latest intel.

This latest tracking study was done with the help of John O'Sullivan, curator of field operations for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.