Shark Tagging

Typically, when you see a great white shark and humans in the water at the same time, you wonder what the shark is doing to the humans. But not here. What in the world has given these blokes such huge smiles? They've successfully tagged the shark and are preparing to release it back into the wild.

First they hook a shark, then they haul it into a metal cradle. Once it's secured, they lift it out of the water and affix it with a satellite tag. All the while water seawater is pumped into its mouth and gills and it is injected with a hearty blend of drugs and vitamins to help it recover.

Of course, you've got to marvel at the folks who pioneered this technique. So much can go wrong just with the ocean. But adding great white sharks to the mix? I'm just glad there are people out there smarter and braver than me (not difficult to accomplish, really). The shark does too, even if he doesn't know it.

Thanks for the link, Rusty.

Photo source: Linda Staverees/Wildlife Conservation Society via Mother Nature Network

Getting a Look Around

Sylvan alerted me to this photo, and I had to share. It's been too long since my last great white shark post.

One of the many freaky things about this fish (it seems so dismissing to call it that), is that they have good eyesight. In fact, they will sometimes poke their heads above water to get a good look around (that's quite possibly what this particular bloke is up to). I don't know what would be freakier: 1) being attacked from below with no warning, or 2) looking over from your surfboard to see one watching you, then the attack.

But Californians needn't worry too much, despite the presence of the Red Triangle. As of 2004, since 1950 there have only been 10 confirmed fatal great white shark attacks on humans off the Golden State's coast.

Thanks for the link, Sylvan.

Photo courtesy: Shark-Pictures.com

Great Bite

The Great White Shark looks ugly and menacing from any angle, but the person who took this shot probably wasn't thinking the word 'ugly' at that moment - it was more likely an expletive.

These fish can grow to be 20 feet long, and over 5,000 lbs. They cruise cold, open waters, and dine on seals and the occassional human.

Did you know that the Great White is the only apex predator not domesticated or tamed by man? I imagine trying to find something useful for a shark to do, and a tank large enough to accommodate one, might be the main reasons for that, but this mouth might have something to do with it, too.

Photo courtesy: www.strangezoo.com.

Rolling out the Uglies, Part II (Aussie-style)

You're looking at a close cousin of the great white shark. Everyone say hello to the Mako shark, who is new to this site. Be nice to him, because he is one of the fastest creatures in the sea, clocking in at 30 mph (48 kph). That's pretty speedy. If you decide to comment on his less-than-attractive appearance where he can hear you, give yourself a good headstart.

The Yahoo! story that came along with this photo talks about a drunken Australian who attacked one of these with his bare hands. Australia: the land of Puggles and Inebriated Shark-fighters.

Photo from AFP via Yahoo!

Jeremy Wade Is More Manly Than Me

It's therapeutic for me to post on men who are much more manly than me. It shows that I'm at least big enough to be able to tout their accomplishments without feeling that they're overshadowing my own (which, of course, they are).

One such man is Jeremy Wade, a British biologist, TV host, and angler. He is one of the few men ever to haul in a goliath tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath). To do so, he had to navigate uncharted stretches of the Congo river, wait patiently for eight days, and then snag the beast with a large catfish as bait and a 200lbs rod and line.

And what did he catch? The goliath tigerfish is one of the world's most dangerous fish. This specimen was five feet long. They come equipped stock with 32 teeth, each one razor sharp and about the size of great white shark teeth. They are amazingly aggressive (their reflex is to attack any sudden motion). They can remove human limbs with a single bite, are known to eat creatures the same size as them, and commonly take bites out of crocodiles.

And Jeremy Wade held a live one in his arms before releasing back in the wild.

I'm going to head upstairs now and sleep in my cozy bed in my cozy suburban neighborhood where the most dangerous thing I'll hold today is my two-year-old son who has a head cold.

Thanks for the link, Alan.

One More Reason

Just in case you wanted one more reason to skip scuba diving off the Northern Califoria coastline this weekend, here you go. True, the odds of you being attacked by a great white shark are minimal, but do you want to be the anomaly? Do you want to beat the statistics? No you don't. Skip the outdoors altogether. Stay inside, bask your pasty skin in the glare of your monitor, and eat reheated KFC instead.

Photo courtesy: web.hcsps.sa.edu.au

Open Wide

Most Great White Shark open-mouth shots look like one of those 'last photo ever taken by this camera' images that are passed around the internet.

This particular photo is a classic. There are few beasts as monstrous-looking as this fish. You can bet that this fellow's companions will be frequent guests at Ugly Overload.

Photo courtesy: greatwhite.org.