Perth Beach Shark Warning
Perth Beach Closed After Whale Carcass Attracts Multiple Sharks
Anonymous
A decomposing whale carcass washed ashore at Perth’s City Beach on Monday, drawing about 200 onlookers and attracting several sharks, including two great whites reported roughly 10 meters offshore. Authorities closed the beach and warned people not to swim or walk dogs nearby, saying the carcass could continue to draw sharks close to shore. Mayor Gary Mack said the beach would remain closed until officials worked out how to remove the carcass. The warnings came amid heightened concern after a fatal shark attack at nearby Sorrento Beach earlier in the month.
Key Points
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A local report described the carcass as a roughly six-metre humpback. Whale Watch Western Australia owner Jemma Sharpe said it had been spotted offshore the previous afternoon, with sharks already feeding on it; she speculated that the whale may have died from internal causes and noted that about 45,000 humpbacks migrate through the region during the season.
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SharkSmart reported two white sharks, measuring four and five metres, about 10 metres offshore. A surf lifesaving helicopter also reported a 3.5-metre unidentified shark, while a 2.5-metre unidentified shark was seen circling at a similar distance.
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Mayor Gary Mack said removal planning was complicated by the public holiday: “We need to develop a series of options of how to dispose of it, today being a public holiday is not a great time to do all of that.”
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The reports also noted a separate recent shark incident in Western Australia: a man was taken to hospital after an attack at a remote beach north of Geraldton.
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