Mistaken Identity In Shark Attack

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday January 24, 2007

By DUNCAN ABEY

YESTERDAY'S dramatic shark attack off the coast at Eden was most likely a case of mistaken identity, said Sydney shark expert Rob Townsend.

Humans were not a normal part of the great white diet, said Mr Townsend, curatorial manager at Oceanworld in Manly, and the shark probably thought it was hunting a seal when it attacked Eden abalone diver Eric Nerhus.

"Their main diet consists of larger fish and seals, although they have also been known to eat turtles," Mr Townsend said.

"Great whites attack from below, and therefore all this shark would have been able to see was fins and a trail of bubbles.

"There are a number of seal colonies along the coast near Eden so it's not uncommon for whites to be found there."

Mr Townsend said the location of yesterday's attack - 20 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Howe - was prime great white territory.

"That's exactly where they hang out," he said.

"They're basically a pelagic predator, which means they swim in the open water and very rarely come into the shore."

A poke in the eye was credited with yesterday's escape but the shark may have disliked the taste of Mr Nerhus' wetsuit.

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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