Where have South Africa’s white shark’s gone?
In less than eight years, white sharks in South Africa have all but disappeared from their historical hotspots in False Bay and Gansbaai. These areas were once known as the “white shark capital of the world” and were home to a flourishing ecotourism industry. One possible explanation for this change would be a declining white shark population. Orcas have likely influenced white shark numbers and behaviors, and at least temporarily displaced many from their historical aggregation sites, the data as currently presented does not suggest that orcas are the primary driver of the declines in white shark numbers but over exploitation of smaller prey species by the dermersal long lining industry.
Shark Spotters, False Bay © Dan Callister
Simon's Town © Dan Callister
Sharks Spotters, False Bay © Dan Callister
Seal Island, False Bay © Dan Callister
Seal Island, False bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching on a Cape Fur Seal © Dan Callister
Great WHte Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark © Dan Callister
Cape Fur Seals, False Bay © Dan Callister
Seal Island, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching on a Cape fur seal
Great White Shark breaches on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great white shark, False Bay © Dan Callister
Shark warning signs, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great white shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White shark predates on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark dorsal fin © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching © Dan Callister
Great White Shark © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark predates on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark predates on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark predates on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark predates on a Cape Fur Seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark predates on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Cape fur seals, Seal Island © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Cape fur seal with shark bite, Seal Island © Dan Callister
Cape fur seal with shark bite wound © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaches on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaches on a Cape fur seal © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, False Bay © Dan Callister
Seal Rock, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Great White Shark breaching, Mossel Bay © Dan Callister
Empty shark cage, False Bay © Dan Callister