Page 174 - Hawaii: Diving, Surfing, Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes and More

ncounters between sharks and people are infrequent, and most in such murky waters. Tigers are also attracted to waters frequent-
E inshore species pose little threat to humans. In cases where the ed by fishing boats, which often trail fish remains and blood.
offending shark can be identified, tiger sharks top the list. A tiger
shark is easily recognized by its blunt snout and the vertical bars f all the inshore species, tiger sharks have the most widely
on its sides. Hammerheads are also easy to identify, and have been O varied diet. They eat fish, lobsters, birds, turtles, dead
implicated in a few cases where they may have been provoked. animals, even garbage, and may feed whenever a food source is
present. It’s not known why tiger sharks sometimes bite humans.
igers are considered the most dangerous sharks in Hawaiian The idea that they mistake a person for a natural prey item, such
T waters. Whitetip Oceanic sharks, which are also very danger- as a turtle, is not supported by any evidence. The shark may be try-
ous, are rarely seen in Hawaii. Because of their size and feeding ing to determine if a person is a potential prey item, it may come
habits, tigers occupy the very top niche in inshore feeding rela- across a person while in a feeding “mode,” or perhaps there is some
tionships. For years tiger sharks were believed to be territorial other explanation. Incidents of sharks biting people in Hawaiian
in nature. Individuals were thought to remain for the most part waters are very rare, occurring on average at a rate of about three
in a fairly limited area. Recent evidence suggests this is not the or four per year. Fatal shark bites are extremely rare, especially
case. Tiger sharks have been found to navigate between the main considering the number of people in Hawaii’s waters. People who
Hawaiian islands, and thus appear to occupy home ranges much enter the water need to recognize that there are hidden dangers. A
larger than had been previously suspected. Tiger sharks are often number of marine animals can cause serious injury to people, and
attracted to stream mouths after heavy rains, when upland fishes sharks are just one example.
and other animals are swept out to sea. They can easily locate prey