Australia’s Ten News recently ran a feature on shark research being performed in Australian waters. The report focuses on tracking data of a female white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) named “Rachel,” who was tagged off Gold Coast, Queensland last June.

Since being tagged she has traveled south along the coast through New South Wales water and down toward Victoria waters before turning around heading north. According to researcher Jonathan Werry, the tagged white shark has traveled between 1,500-2,000 kilometers.

According to the report, the research team has tagged a total of 49 “dangerous” sharks, including multiple bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas). The team is studying the movement patterns of the sharks with the aim of protecting bathers.

Shark Defenders have posted the trailer above for a documentary titled “Shark Hope” to their YouTube channel. According to the video description the documentary is a collaboration between Walker Films, Ratu Manoa Rasagitale, the Coral Reef Alliance and Pew Environment Group. The documentary focuses on efforts to create Fiji National Shark Sanctuary.

CBS 8 is reporting that a 2-mile stretch of Mission Beach in San Diego was closed yesterday following a shark sighting by a veteran lifeguard. The lifeguard reported seeing a dorsal fin approximately 18″ in height, which he believed to belong to a white shark.

The beach reopened this morning. However, CBS-8 is now reporting that a second shark sighting occurred at Mission Beach this morning.

Thanks to some “Shop-Fu” and Redditor throwawaystress, a digitally manipulated photo of a white shark swimming down a flooded street in Puerto Rico has been making the rounds on the web and even duped Miami’s 7 News, which reported on the photo not realizing it was a joke (video uploaded by YouTube user jernestine)

The story about the hoax photo even founds its way to a blog article at The Washington Post, which revealed the original source of the shark image used in the composite work.

If the shark in the photo looks familiar, it’s because it was lifted from a rather famous photo taken by Thomas P. Peschak that shows a white shark following a kayaker off the coast of South Africa. The photo has been published by multiple media outlets including Africa Geographic and BBC Wildlife to name a few. You can check out the story behind the original photograph on Peschak’s website.

A quick update on yesterday morning’s post about a juvenile great white shark being caught at Huntington Beach Pier in California…

The L.A. Times reports that California Department of Fish and Game officials have seized the shark. Oddly enough, the warden dispatched to the scene initially identified the shark as a “mako” (presumably Isurus oxyrinchus) and let the fishermen in possession of the shark go, according to the report. The article then goes on to say that “after a second look” the warden realized that the shark was in fact a white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) and “caught up with the men” and seized the shark.

According to Pete Thomas’ Outdoors blog, the DFG’s Capt. Dan Sforza said that they have identified who caught the shark and are investigating the catch. Sforza also added that “nobody is going to get away with anything.”

WARNING: Video features offensive language and graphic content

YouTube user ograza13 recently uploaded the video above which shows a young great white shark being caught, according to the video description, from Huntington Beach Pier.

It should be noted that fishermen involved apparently thought it was a mako, as you can hear one of them say “c’mon mako!” Based on the title of the video, it can be assumed that YouTube user ograza13 still wasn’t sure of the species, when the video was posted. However, it’s quite clear from the video that this is a white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), which is a protected species in California waters.

Boston’s Fox 25 reports that a seal carcass with wounds consistent to a bite from a white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) washed ashore near Monomoy Island. Division of Marine Fisheries researcher Dr. Greg Skomal believes the bite was caused by a white shark in the 14′-16′ range.

A ban on swimming is still in effect indefinitely at Chatham’s North Beach, North Beach Island, and South Beach due to recent white shark sightings in the area.

Bay of Fundy whale watchers report seeing a great white shark like this one, only MUCH larger.
(photo taken off Isla de Guadalupe, Mexico).

Canada’s The Chronicle Herald is reporting that a “scary big” great white shark was spotted by a boat of whale watchers last Wednesday (August 17, 2011) in Fundy Bay off of Brier Island, Nova Scotia. According to the report, Fulton Lavender, a Nova Scotia Bird Society naturalist claims that the shark was over 25′ in his personal opinion.

Initially, Fulton thought the shark to be a basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), which can normally reach lengths of over 25′. However, after seeing photographs of the shark taken by a tourist aboard the whale-watching boat, Fulton said it was “definitely a great white shark.” Others aboard the boat reported that the shark had a white underside. While basking sharks do not characteristically have a white underside, white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) do. Fulton also added that the photographs taken showed facial patterns and a dorsal fin more characteristic of a white shark.

The photographer who took the photos of the animal promised to provide Brier Island officials with a copy of a photograph of the animal but has yet to do so.

Adult white sharks are typically in the range of 13′-17′ in length, but reports of specimens reaching 20′, though somewhat rare, are not unheard of. A white shark exceeding 25′ in length would be extremely outside of the normal size range of the species.

Reid Gillis, a skipper for one of the whale watching boat says he saw the animal breach three times, but he could not identify the species as a white shark. The shark was also blamed by some of the whale watchers for a attacking a local humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) who was seen with “crescent-shaped” wounds. Gillis who saw the wounds on the whale noted that he did not see the shark attack the humpback and could not determine whether the wounds were the result of bite marks.

Canadian shark researcher, Steven Campana, told The Chronicle Herald that it would be highly unusual for a white shark to attack a healthy adult whale.

Earlier this month a small white shark was captured inadvertently in a fisherman’s weir in the Bay of Fundy, putting an end to speculation that the species were currently present in the region.

Well-known underwater photographer and WetPixel owner Eric Cheng has shared a video on his YouTube channel that features a 5-year-old boy swimming along side a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) off of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres. The area has become a hot-spot for snorkeling during the summer months when large numbers of whale shark aggregate in a relatively small area.

WARNING: Video contains offensive language.

YouTube user Steve02988 has uploaded the above video which features a fisherman trying to get a very small shark to bite him. He succeeds in getting the shark to bite his finger and ear before releasing the shark back to the water. It should go without saying, but…kids, don’t try this at home.