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AUSTRALIA-SHARK-ANIMAL
Australia kills two sharks after tourist attacks
SYDNEY, Sept 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Two large sharks have been killed in
Australia after a woman and a girl were attacked at a popular Great Barrier
Reef tourist spot.
Both victims — one of them just 12 years old — were still in hospital
Sunday after being mauled in separate incidents earlier this week at the
Whitsunday Islands.
Drum lines, which use baited hooks to catch the predators, ensnared two
tiger sharks — one 3.3 metres (11 feet) long, a Fisheries Queensland
spokesman said.
“While sharks of this size are potentially very dangerous to humans, it is
unclear if they were responsible for injuries caused to two swimmers this
week,” he said.
“The shark carcasses will be towed well out to sea for disposal.”
The spokesman added that the drumlines would remain in place over the next
week to reduce the risk to swimmers.
Shark attacks are very rare in the Whitsundays — a collection of
spectacular tropical islands in the heart of the Barrier Reef, with the last
encounter reported to be eight years ago, according to national broadcaster
ABC.
This week’s incidents have revived debate about how best to reduce the risk
of encounters between sharks and the growing number of people using the ocean
for leisure.
Many conservationists and marine scientists object to killing sharks, and
insist that drum lines are a blunt instrument because they often catch other
creatures.
New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, has trialled non-lethal
measures such as aerial drones to track sharks’ movements and “smart” drum
lines that alert authorities to their presence.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0925 hrs