USVI Tiger Kill - Rare and Sad

Having lived in and been diving the USVI (US Virgin Islands) and BVI for many years I can attest that sharks are just not part of the eco system in this Lesser Antilles chain as elsewhere in the world.

Finding a juvenile Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) in these waters is an exceptional and very rare event. Which makes the following video so sad to watch.

As a commercial shark diving operator I am frankly stunned at the treatment of this animal and the 1970's approach to filming and documenting sharks underwater. The death of this animal was unnecessary, ignorant, and a stark waste of a magnificent resource.

Ironically on exactly the same day this animal was being killed I was in the Bahamas with a Brazilian film crew (without cages) documenting the Tigers of Tiger Beach for an upcoming documentary about these wonderful animals.

We still have a long way to go to change minds and attitudes towards sharks:

Protect Bahamas Sharks Now - Warning Graphic Images

Back in 2008 we posted these images and a call to action (see below). The images featured two Tiger sharks caught by sport fishermen. The animals were reduced to a set of jaws and some devastating pictures of decks littered with dead Tiger pups.

Three years later, Guy Harvey, the Bahamas National Trust and Pew Trust are mounting a terrific effort to get all of the Bahamas declared a shark sanctuary.

If you needed a reason for added shark protections these images should highlight that need now.

Please support this effort in any way you can and let's make these images the last of their kind:



TIGER SHARK MARCH 2008