There’s been a flurry of excitement in the shark community in Cape Town recently. The reason? Recent sightings of the Great White Shark making their return to False Bay. Since 2019, Cape Town has been without Great White Sharks. Their disappearance has baffled scientist’s and marine biologists ever since. The Great White Shark used to attract a significant amount of shark cage diving tourism to Cape Town, once known as the location with the flying great whites, became Great White-less.
So where did they go? Historically, the Great White (who are migratory animals) could be found in waters from the Cape all the way up to Mozambique and Madagascar.
Data collected by marine biologists, shark cage diving Cape Town tour operators and shore anglers saw Great White Shark sightings dramatically decrease between 2015 and 2020. The first cases of a killer whale killing Great White sharks (as well as the Seven Gill and Bronze Whaler sharks) along the South African coast were documented in 2015. The change in sightings coincided with the arrival of the Killer Whales with Great White Shark carcasses washing ashore with their livers eaten.
Following the White Sharks swift departure from False Bay, sightings of them increased in Mossel Bay, Algoa Bay and Plettenberg Bay. This trend showed an eastward movement. In 2022, Great White Shark activity increased in Plettenberg Bay, so much so that Shark Spotters relocated some of their spotters from False Bay. The Eastern Cape wasn’t the only area to see an increase in Great White Shark activity, KwaZulu-Natal reported their highest White Shark catches in 2022 as well.
There were four Great White sightings in False Bay from 27 November to the 3rd of December 2023. The first two sightings were in Muizenberg by Shark Spotters and the other 2 sightings were near Smitswinkel Bay by spear fisherman and a local water user just off Roman Rock lighthouse. These sightings are a positive sign and the first sightings in the last 4 years! It’s still unclear if these recent sightings indicate the return of the Great White and we are cautiously optimistic.
After almost 5 years, the False Bay ecosystem has changed and adapted in the absence of the apex predator. Sharks such as the Seven Gill shark have been observed preying on seals for the first time.
We hope to report on additional sightings in False Bay.
https://capetowninsider.co.za/recent-great-white-shark-sightings-in-cape-town/ is a post by Kath.
from CapeTownInsider https://capetowninsider.co.za/recent-great-white-shark-sightings-in-cape-town/
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