Well the Sun newspaper is running this as a front page story about a fella who captured a shark attacking dolphins off the Cornish coast at Porthmeor beach in St Ives.
The images in the newspaper are very unclear and I have not seen the footage so this is my opinion!
I doubt the claims to be fact, my appraisal of the story is that if it is a shark then it’s most likely a porbeagle feeding on Mackerel near the surface in a feeding frenzy with the dolphins. The porbeagle is a predatory shark found off the Cornish coast and resembles its cousin the great white shark.
Dolphins hunt in pods and herd schools of fish into tight groups called bait balls, Dolphins hold position where there pod mates come from underneath and through the bait balls eating as they go. This team work is a very effective hunting method.
A hungry porbeagle shark which feeds on pelagic fishe like herring and mackerel would be able to sense this activity and instinct would drive it towards the feeding frenzy where it would join in.
I would love to hear your opinion on this issue or any evidence to the contrary.
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August 24, 2007 at 06:14
Well Johnny, when you look out to sea you are looking at a giant shark tank. Anythings possible.
Great Whites are a cool water shark and they tend to eat bigger things…seals, sea lions, tuna and dead whales. Opportunistic is the word. I’m sure if they could get to dolfin they would try and take one.
Growing up 25 miles Southeast from Boston Mass, as kids we thought there where no sharks around, until a local tuna fisherman caught a 12 foot great white at Minot’s lighthouse 1 mile from shore. Something I realize from fishing is that big fish come inshore at night, into the shallows. I never went swimming at night after that.
As the years went on when the water hit 67-68 degrees blue sharks came into the local beach and years later a few 850 pound Makos where taken a few towns down just 2 miles out. Now, here in Eastport Maine I found an old newspaper article about a 26 foot great white caught in a fishing wier off Campobello island just a mile across they bay. It is also the Maine state record for Great Whites.
Never say never.
August 1, 2007 at 22:44
Fair point Johnny – however my shifts are a little different to yours this week!! I will be happy to show you some pics at Porthmeor soon, watch this space.
August 1, 2007 at 22:01
Stop yakking and start yakking, put your money where your mouth is, I want to see a photo of you on your yak at Porthmeor beach before the week is out, and I know your shifts allow for ith this week so you can forget that arguement straight away!