Source : Perth Now news
A whale watching operator has said “hundreds” of sharks could be attracted to the site of a beached whale corpse on a popular Western Australian beach for weeks after the carcass is removed.
A whale carcass washed up on shore at City Beach near Perth on Monday morning, and a number of Great White sharks have since been spotted circling the area.
The dead whale was first seen floating off the coast of Perth on Sunday by a whale watching group, four nautical miles off Scarborough Beach at around 4.30pm.
The carcass, which eventually washed up on shore a few kilometres south at City Beach, was infested with sharks, including a “very big” Tiger Shark, according to Whale Watch Western Australia owner Gemma Sharp.
Ms Sharp told NewsWire it was “disappointing” to find out the carcass, despite having been reported to authorities, had been allowed to wash up at City Beach.
“We contacted authorities and were informed that fisheries had already been notified, but unfortunately I don’t think anything was done to prevent the whale washing ashore,” she said.
“Where it was positioned (at the time it was spotted), it would have been possible for a team to tow it further off the coast. There was a lot of sharks actively feeding, and we knew it was going to be a problem if it came ashore.”
A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) spokeswoman said the issue had been deferred to Town of Cambridge Council, which has jurisdiction over City Beach.
The spokeswoman said it was “possible the carcass will continue to act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming in close to shore”.
Ms Sharp went one step further, telling NewsWire “hundreds of sharks” could be attracted to the area for weeks after it gets removed.
“Those sharks will be attracted to the beach for a long time. You might remove the carcass, but the oil, the scent, will remain in that sand for a prolonged period of time,” she said.
“We were hoping for a better result than what has occurred, because now it’s going to be a major issue getting that carcass off the beach.”
Footage taken during the tour on Sunday shows the bloated carcass floating meters away from the boat, and a number of sharks tearing chunks off the massive dead creature.
Concerns over sharks lurking along the coastline near Perth are even more poignant following the death of 63-year-old Greg O’Neill earlier this month.
Mr O’Neill was killed by a Great White shark on September 18 while he was swimming just 15 metres offshore at Sorrento Beach.
“After what happened the other week with that poor man, it’s really important for people to be aware of their surroundings,” Ms Sharp said.
“Be very careful along the beaches. There’s going to be an increase in shark activity in the area. Just be mindful, and stay safe.”
On Monday, Town of Cambridge Mayor Gary Mack said beaches had been closed from Swanbourne to Floreat.
“People and pets should stay out of the water as white sharks have been seen. Lifeguards and rangers are patrolling the area,” he said.
