The Dorsal Fin

The Save Our Seas Foundation recently posted the video above which focuses on the Shark Spotters program in use at beaches in South Africa. The aim of Shark Spotters is to alert beach goers of presence of sharks and potential risks of shark attack. Additionally, Shark Spotters provide data based on shark sightings to the Save Our Seas Foundation.

The Shark Spotters program uses hillside lookout personnel, along with alarms, and series of warning flags to keep swimmers informed and help reduce the chances of shark attacks.

Border Surfriders Association is reporting that a 16-year-old member of their surfing team was bitten by a shark off of Second Beach, Port Saint Johns, South Africa. The victim was able to catch a wave and attempted to reach the shore after the attack. Tragically, he died as a result of blood loss before lifeguards and rescue craft were able to reach him.

According to BSA, this marks the fifth attack (four of which have been fatal) off of Second Beach in the past three years. There was no mention of the species responsible for the attack.

BSA’s Malcome Logie described the victim as “a young guy, full of spirit and always ready for a laugh. He was always willing to help his teammates and enjoyed giving the younger surfers encouragement and advice. Border was looking to him to play a leading role in our team this year. His passing leaves us numb and with a huge sense of loss.”

Wavescape: Surfing South Africa has information about a support fund for the victim’s family and community. The funds collected will be used to help assist with funeral costs and grief counseling for the family and Port St Johns community.

The video above was posted by YouTube user TheMrborto and features what looks like a relatively younger white shark interacting with a seal decoy in Klein Bay, South Africa. It’s unclear from the video what the motivation is behind luring the shark with the decoy.

Whether this is an attempt to study white shark behavior or not, the decoy certainly seems to have captured the interest of the shark in this particular video.

Grootbos Nature Reserve recently posted the above video to its YouTube Channel which documents the rescue of a 4-5m whale shark (Rhincodon typus) which had become stranded on the shore at Pearly Beach near Gansbaai, South Africa.

According to the video information, a “group of locals” gathered to assist the beached whale shark. The rescue effort took eight hours and involved the use of a boat to tow the shark out to sea. Additionally, multiple doses of antibiotics were administered to the whale shark. After being towed out to sea, the shark eventually swam away on its own, according to the video.

While the long-term fate of the shark is unclear from the video, the effort of those involved in the attempt to rescue the shark are worth commending.

The video above features footage of United Kingdom angler Pete Thorman participating in a catch and release tagging program of white sharks in South Africa. According to the video information, the footage is taken from old home videos during Thorman’s fishing trips to facilitate conservation efforts involving the tagging of great white sharks.

Thorman caught and released 26 white sharks as part of the program, according to the video description. The events featured in the video were shot prior to regulations that created a total ban on rod and reel catches of white sharks in South Africa.

In addition to commentary about Thorman’s angling efforts as they relate to the tagging program, the narrator of the video also interjects his opinions and theories about baited cage diving in South Africa.