MENACE OF SHARKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21411, 8 February 1933, Page 12

MENACE OF SHARKS

AUCKLAND DANGERS; Vj WARNING TO YACHTSMEN,;^ • j VARIETIES SEEN IN THE GULF 'v " Those portions of the Waitcniaia Harbour and the Gulf frequented by bathers are not visited very often by sharks, but the minor scare caused by the presence of one of these scavengers of the deep a t Buckland's Beach on Sunday is a reminder that they are likely to be cruising in the most unlikely places. It must not, be supposed because Auckland swimmers have been frco from attacks by maneating sha.rks that these dreaded fish are § infrequent visitors. Many varieties 0 f sharks, some of them ferocious and dan- ■?; gerous, are known to bo in the Hauraki 'i Gulf in numbers, and it is in the open Of water, where crews cf yachts and-H launches are prone to take a swim, that Si the greatest danger of an attack lies. One explanation of the immunity of Auckland swimmers as compared with the ever-present danger to Australian swim- I mers is that the vast quantities of natural fish food to be found around New Zealand's coasts ensure that the sharks are never hungry, whereas on the -AustralianM coast, where shoal fish are scarce, the sharks are voracious and venture inshore in search of food.

Advice to Bathers Some interesting facts about the varieties of shark to be found in the waters of the Auckland Province were given yesterday by Mr. L. T. Griffin, of the Auckland Museum, who has made a close studv of the fishes of New Zealand, and is a leading authority on the subject. He advanced the opinion that, while there was not much risk to bathers inshore, yachtsmen should exercise great care when taking a swim off shore. The of the dangerous sharks known to frequent Auckland coasts kept to the safety of deep water. At the same time, his advice to beach bathers was that when a shark was reported to be cruising in the vicinity they should be content to paddle in shallow water rather than swim in the danger zone.

There is a mistaken notion that the grey nurse shark, one of the most terrible of the man-eaters, has often been seen and caught in New Zealand waters. A year or two ago there were reports that this species had been seen in the Auck- V land Harbour; Mr. Griffin, however, says there is no record of a shark of this species having been caught in New Zealand waters. It is very common on tha coast of New South Wales, where it- occasionally attacks swimmers. Species Not to be Trusted

The Whaler is a large full-bodied shark measuring up to X2ft., and of a light slatey colour. He comes into the gulf fairly frequently, chasing shoals of herring and mullet, and, while he is not armed with very formidable teeth, he is not to bo trusted. Then there is the Southern Tope, or school shark. This is the shark most commonly caught on schnapper lines. He is an ugly-looking brute,.growing np to about 6ft. in length, but, apart from a chance bite when getting him in, there ii little to fear from him. The blue shark occurs in New Zealand waters, but is rather addicted to the deeper areas. This shark is regarded as very dangerous, but it is doubtfnl whether he ever ventures into tbs Auckland Hai-bour. The thresher shari; is another fish that is common to Auckland waters, but he* is considered to be comparatively harmless. The basking shark, known to_, the - Maoris as the reremai, is large and sluggish and feedson small fish and marine organisms. This shark attain* a great size, and in some of the tropical waters grows to as much as ,35ft. The Notorious Tiger Shark

Among the very dangerous sharks likely to be encountered by unwary, swimmers is the tiger shark, frequently seen and captured during the hot summer months in North Auckland waters. It is thought that this shark has been seen as far south ai the Bay of Plenty. He is a dangerous species, attaining a length of 16ft., and can readily .be distinguished in the wafer by the number of transverse bars'across the body, reaching from the back of the head to the tail. '

The'white pointer, or great white shark, is a tropjeal species, but it has been noticed in the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour. This shark, however, is thought to be rare in these waters. He is a fearsome and destructive creature and is known to range over all tropical and soma of the temperate seas, sometimes attaining a length of 40ft. Then there is the better-known blue pointer or mako shark, which is to be found in all Auckland waters. He is generally regarded as a deep-sea species, but is known to enter estuaries where there is sufficient depth of water. Makos have been reported as close to Auckland as Bean Kock. They are to be feared by bathers owing to their speed and ferocity. Another shark easily distinguished is the hammer-head. This » also a ferocious species ahd attains' ft length of up to' 15ft. It has often been seen basking on the surface of the water out in the gulf, and probably makes its way into the deeper waters of the harbour.