Key Takeaways
- First recorded fatal attack by dusky sharks, a species previously considered harmless
- Attack occurred during feeding frenzy off Israel’s Hadera coast
- Human feeding and warm water from desalination plants altered shark behavior
- Scientists call for complete ban on shark feeding to prevent future incidents
A 40-year-old tourist was killed and devoured by dusky sharks in Israel’s Hadera waters in what scientists confirm is the first recorded fatal attack by this species. The incident occurred in April when the man was swimming about 100 meters from shore.
Witnesses reported hearing the victim shout “Help… they’re biting me” before he disappeared beneath the water’s surface. The water turned red with blood as shark fins became visible. Rescue boats arrived too late – only small human remains were recovered the next day, confirming the man had been eaten by several sharks.
Previously Harmless Species
The report published in Ethology journal documents this unprecedented attack. Dusky sharks, which grow to about 3 meters (10 feet) in length, had no known record of killing humans before this incident. Researchers describe them as typically shy and wary of people.
What Caused the Behavior Change?
Multiple factors created the perfect storm for this rare attack:
- Warm water discharge from desalination plants attracted sharks to Hadera
- Human feeding and food waste dumping provided easy meals
- Tour boat operators threw fish scraps to keep sharks nearby
- Sharks developed “begging” behavior, associating humans with food
Scientists observed sharks swimming directly toward divers and brushing against them, seeking handouts. The competitive feeding environment triggered frenzy behavior that overrode the species’ normal caution around humans.
The Attack Sequence
Researchers believe the attack involved two distinct phases. First, a reflex bite likely occurred during food begging behavior. This escalated into multiple predatory bites as feeding frenzy instincts took over.
“The competition for access to the food resource overrides the species’ usual behavior, including the intrinsic non-instinctive nature of the human prey,” researchers wrote.
Preventing Future Attacks
Scientists emphasize that preventing similar incidents is more straightforward than with typically aggressive shark species. The solution focuses on eliminating the learned begging behavior.
“The central objective is to eliminate the begging behaviour in sharks, and this can only be achieved by establishing and enforcing a complete and total ban on all artificial feeding of sharks by the public,” researchers concluded.
Any additional measures would be secondary to this crucial approach for restoring natural shark behavior and human safety.
