Great white shark spotted off Cape Town; first in 20 months

The first great white shark in 20 months has been spotted in False Bay off Cape Town, easing concern that the predatory fish that attract tourists had left the region.

Published on:

07 Jan 2020, 2:42 pm

By Antony Sguazzin

(Bloomberg) – The first great white shark in 20 months has been spotted in False Bay off Cape Town, easing concern that the predatory fish that attract tourists had left the region.

The shark was spotted by the operator of a cage diving operation off Seal Island, said Gregg Oelofse, who oversees coastal management for the City of Cape Town.

"One has got to be cautious," he said, noting that it's just one shark and the animals are more commonly seen in the middle of the year. Still, "we are very happy there has been a sighting."

Also read: Tourism twitchy as great whites spurn False Bay

The disappearance of the sharks had caused concern in Cape Town as their presence was the main draw card for tourists paying for cage dives. The reasons for their absence are unclear but scientists have theorised that it could have been be due to the presence of two orcas known as Port and Starboard who prey on the sharks, over-fishing of prey species or climate change.

The @CityofCT has informed @SharkSpotters that a 4m white shark has been spotted at Seal Island in False Bay by @ApexSharks.
We are on high alert for any white shark sightings on the inshore and will update the public immediately should we see one. #BeSharkSmart
— Shark Spotters (@SharkSpotters) January 7, 2020

The sharks are famed in False Bay for leaping out of the water, or breaching, in pursuit of seals.

News24 reported the sighting earlier.

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Great white shark spotted off Cape Town; first in 20 months

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