A dolphin with a chunk of its body missing after an attack by an eleven-foot shark has been captured in graphic photographs in the Australian city of Newcastle, where beaches remain closed for a record seventh day due to continued sightings of a growing group of deadly sharks.
The attack occurred just 60 yards from shore and came as the council admitted that there was not merely one shark – “the biggest we’ve ever had” – lurking around the city’s beaches, but several of different species.
The attack on the dolphin was by a tiger shark, which took a chunk from the dolphin’s back and then lunged forward for a second bite to take a chunk out of its tale. The shark then reportedly hung back and waited for the dolphin to die before feeding on it.
But the main concern, which led to the closure of the city’s seven beaches, has been the presence of a 15-foot, 1.7-ton great white shark.
Rachel Kulk, a 22-year-old local surfer told The Newcastle Herald the shark was ‘‘as round as a car’’ with a fin ‘‘more than half the size of my surfboard’’.
Several additional sharks have since been spotted and at least two dolphin carcasses have been found around the city, which is about 100 miles north of Sydney.
“It is now confirmed that [several] sharks are being sighted,” a Newcastle council spokeswoman said.
It is believed the sharks may be coming closer to shores across Australia this summer due to warmer water temperatures.
The government in the state of New South Wales has indicated it would only consider a cull if public safety is at risk.
Experts said a cull is probably unnecessary because large sharks need to move around to find new sources of food and are unlikely to remain in the same stretch of coast for an extended period.
Full story: The Telegraph