The waters off the coast of Cape Town are known as some of the best places in the world to see great white sharks. There have been a number of close encounters in recent weeks.
Sharks are more visible at this time of year, hunting seals and fish swimming close to shore. “The behaviour in the drone footage suggests that the sharks are aware of swimmers and are investigating them,” said Sarah Waries, a researcher at the City of Cape Town (CoCT) Shark Spotting Programme. “It is important for people to remember that great white sharks are naturally curious apex predators. While shark bites are rare, visitors must understand the risks of sharing the ocean with these animals and modify their behaviour to avoid encounters.”
The waters off the coast of Cape Town are known to be among the best places in the world to see great white sharks.
Most great white shark attacks on humans occur when the animals are confused, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. They examine unfamiliar objects to determine what they are and whether they are worth eating. There were 64 shark attacks worldwide in 2019, resulting in two fatalities, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History database.
The great white shark is the world's largest predatory fish, growing to 6.4 m in length and weighing 2,100 kg. It lives in temperate waters from California to Australia and South Africa, where it preys on seals and sea lions, its favorite food.
