The number of people enjoying the waters off Kenting National Park in Pingtung County has not declined despite reports of bull sharks in nearby waters.
Media have reported that local fishermen found two dead bull sharks in waters about 20km off South Bay last month.
A dead 167kg bull shark was found stuck in an underwater net cage on June 7. One week later, another bull shark weighing 326kg was also found dead stuck in a net cage.
Biologists urged tourists to stay alert because the dead bull sharks indicated their presence in the area.
Bull sharks, which can grow to 3m in length, are known for their unpredictable, often aggressive behavior. Along with tiger sharks and great white sharks, they are considered among the shark species most likely to attack humans.
The threat, however, has not appeared to scare off local divers, while local businesses insisted the sharks do not pose a threat.
Pan Chia-feng (潘家鋒), chairman of a watercraft association in Kenting’s South Bay, said he has lived in Hengchun Township (恆春) for over 40 years and had never heard of incidents caused by shark attacks.
“The waters off Hengchun are not their breeding place,” he said.
Tsai Yung-chun (蔡永春), who runs a diving business, also said he had never heard of anyone wounded by sharks in Hengchun.
“It is unlikely bull sharks will appear in waters off Hengchun because the water temperature here is higher,” Tsai said.
He also said the shark won’t attack people unless there are wounds on the surface of their skin.
Chang Chih-wei (張至維), a researcher at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, said, however, that bull sharks have in the past been spotted in waters off eastern Taiwan.
Their appearance in waters off the west coast is puzzling, he said, speculating that the unusual phenomenon could be caused by climate change or changes in the sharks’ habitat.
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