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South Africa’s great white sharks on verge of extinction, says study

JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH AFRICA) — South Africa’s great white sharks face the threat of extinction after a rapid decline in numbers caused by trophy hunting, shark nets and pollution, according to a study released on Wednesday (July 20).

An undated file photograph of a great white shark biting a bait line off Gansbaai, about 180km from Cape Town. Photo: AFP

An undated file photograph of a great white shark biting a bait line off Gansbaai, about 180km from Cape Town. Photo: AFP

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JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH AFRICA) — South Africa’s great white sharks face the threat of extinction after a rapid decline in numbers caused by trophy hunting, shark nets and pollution, according to a study released on Wednesday (July 20).

The six-year research project along the country’s coastline revealed that only between 353 and 522 of the sharks are still alive, half the level previously thought.

“The numbers in South Africa are extremely low. If the situation stays the same, South Africa’s great white sharks are heading for possible extinction,” said study author and Stellenbosch University researcher Ms Sara Andreotti.

Scientists conducted the census by collecting biopsy samples and photographs of dorsal fins of the great predators, including in the Gansbaai area, near Cape Town, a hotspot for shark cage diving.

“We have come to the conclusion that South Africa’s white sharks faced a rapid decline in the last generation and that their numbers might already be too low to ensure their survival,” said Ms Andreotti.

The study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series also blamed shark nets, ocean pollution and baited hooks on the eastern seaboard of South Africa for the dwindling numbers.

“The chances for their survival are even worse than what we previously thought,” said Ms Andreotti.

About 333 of the sharks are thought to be capable of breeding.

Although the great whites population has dropped off in South Africa, the report said the sharks were still found in large numbers off the coast of Canada, Australia and the US.

The South African coast is notorious for shark attacks, with regular cases of deadly mauling of surfers and swimmers. AFP

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