Swimmers terrified by rare shark attack in Sydney Harbor

(CNN) — A shark attack in a specific area of ​​Sydney Harbour, not far from the city’s iconic Opera House, prompted authorities to call on swimmers to avoid the water during dawn and dusk, when aggressive bull sharks are most vulnerable. Have more assets.

A woman, identified by local media as Lauren O’Neill, was attacked after taking a dip at a private dock in the exclusive residential area of ​​Elizabeth Bay on Monday night.

Expert analysis of the bite suggests it was from a bull shark, a common species that can grow up to 3.5 meters long and frequents the warm waters of the harbor at this time of year.

Sydney Harbor is the center of life in the city of over 5 million people, as a means of getting to work and local beaches, and as a place to hang out and play at weekends.

Monday night’s attack was the first in Sydney Harbor since 2009, when a bull shark tore off an Australian navy diver’s arm near Green Island.

Sydney councilor Linda Scott told CNN the latest attack has shocked residents; However, he said this was unlikely to stop them from getting into the water.

“Sydney residents love swimming in Sydney Harbour. There are local swimming groups around Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay that meet regularly to swim,” he said.

“Although this latest attack is a shock to Sydneysiders, the risk of unprovoked shark attacks is incredibly rare,” he said. “Sydneyans embrace our beautiful harbor, but they do so knowing it is a marine ecosystem.”

Bull sharks are most common in Sydney Harbor when the water is warm during January and February. (Credit: Gerard Sory/The Image Bank RF/Getty Images)

sunset attack

As the sun set Monday, O’Neal, a kayaker, was in the water near a private dock when a bull shark sank its teeth into his right leg.

Eyewitness Michael Porter told CNN affiliate Sky News that he had just returned from work when he heard “a faint call for help” from the front window.

He ran outside and found O’Neill clinging to a ladder attached to the dock, surrounded by blood-stained red water.

“It was the worst horror movie you’ve ever seen,” Porter told Sky News.

Local veterinarian Fiona Crago also heard his screams and ran to the dock with two compression bandages, which she used to wrap the wound and stop the blood flow.

“His right leg was badly damaged and he was bleeding profusely,” he said.

Crago said, “My neighbors were incredible… the people around her calmed her down. In fact, she remained conscious throughout the entire incident. She was very brave. Also very polite. She told people ‘Thank you.’ Said.”

Elizabeth Bay beach in Sydney Harbor on January 30, 2024. (Credit: Dan Himbrechts/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Warmer waters mean more sharks

According to the International Shark Attack File, Australia is second only to the United States in terms of “unprovoked” shark attacks.

In Australia, the largest number of incidents have occurred in New South Wales, which is the world’s largest shark tagging program.

Along the coast, from Bega Valley in the south to Tweed Heads on the Queensland border, drones, listening stations and drum lines are used to detect the presence of sharks.

Many locals use the SharkSmart app to receive alerts when a tagged shark is detected within 500 meters of one of the 37 shark listening stations located along the coast. alert also are sent to an account on a social media platform, This week alone, the system detected eight tagged bull sharks, according to the state government.

NSW Department of Primary Industries shark scientist Dr Amy Smoothie says her team has tagged 264 bull sharks since 2009, and 87 of them were within Sydney Harbour. The most tagged sharks found in the harbor on a single summer day was 18, he said.

According to their research, during times of low light, at dawn and dusk, sharks move into shallow areas to feed, where there is greater risk after heavy rains, which make the water muddy and vulnerable to attacks by predators. Is ideal.

January and February are the peak months for bull sharks in Sydney Harbour, which migrate there to feed and breed during the warmer months. When temperatures drop, they swim back to open water and head north to spend the winter and spring, Smoothie said.

“The water temperature in Sydney Harbor at the moment is 22 or 23 degrees Celsius, so that’s the bull shark’s preferred water temperature,” he added.

Despite the frequency of bull shark visits to Sydney Harbour, there is no independent system to monitor them.

This port covers a vast area of ​​approximately 55 square kilometers. Smoothie said the fact that it is used by thousands of people every day and that there have been very few interactions with bull sharks shows that the risk is low if people take precautions.

Climate change means sharks are likely to remain in the region’s coastal and port areas longer, he said.

“Modelling of bull shark movements in relation to the projected strengthening of the East Australian Current suggests that bull sharks in New South Wales waterways will remain active for longer periods of time due to the availability of their water temperatures,” Smoothie said. Favorite.

Councilwoman Scott said officials investigating the circumstances of Monday’s attack will determine whether additional precautions are necessary.

But he says he doesn’t think Sydney swimmers will stop getting in the water.

“The residents I have spoken to over the last 24 hours understand that the very low risk of an unprovoked shark attack is something we live with in our beautiful Sydney Harbour,” he said, adding that people should understand Caution should be exercised.

“Swim in the right place, swim during daylight hours, swim away from fish feed or sewage outlets,” he said. “Taking all the necessary steps to reduce the risks means we can all live together in harmony.”