Suspected predatory bites on a snorkeler by an oceanic whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus off Moorea island (French Polynesia).
| Title: | Suspected predatory bites on a snorkeler by an oceanic whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus off Moorea island (French Polynesia). |
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| Authors: | Clua EEG; EPHE, CRIOBE USR3278 EPHE-CNRS-UPVD, PSL Research University, Perpignan, France.; Labex Corail, CRIOBE, Moorea, French Polynesia.; Demarchi S; Elasmo-Morph, Sydney, NSW, Australia.; Meyer CG; Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA. |
| Source: | Journal of forensic sciences [J Forensic Sci] 2021 Nov; Vol. 66 (6), pp. 2493-2498. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Aug 21. |
| Publication Type: | Case Reports; Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Blackwell Pub Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0375370 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1556-4029 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00221198 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Forensic Sci Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2006- : Malden, MA : Blackwell Pub.; Original Publication: [Chicago, Ill.] : Callaghan and Co., 1956- |
| MeSH Terms: | Predatory Behavior* ; Sharks*; Bites and Stings/*pathology; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Polynesia |
| Abstract: | Understanding why sharks bite humans is essential for developing strategies to prevent these incidents. Here, we use bite wound characteristics and eye witness descriptions of shark behavior to determine the likely motivation for several bites perpetrated by an oceanic whitetip (OWT) shark Carcharhinus longimanus on an adult female snorkeler off Moorea island (French Polynesia) in October 2019. The victim was snorkeling with others in pelagic waters as part of an organized whale-watching tour when the shark-without any warning behavior-bit her at least three times resulting in severe injuries with substantial loss of soft tissue from the chest and both forearms. The victim survived these injuries thanks to rapid and effective first aid provided by her companions. The sudden, unprovoked and repeated bites with substantial tissue removal are consistent with predatory behavior although the dominance hypothesis cannot be fully ruled out. This would be the first case of a predatory shark bite ever documented in French Polynesia in over 70 years of data collection. Given the routine association of OWT sharks with cetaceans, in-water whale watching activities should adopt appropriate risk management strategies in regions hosting this species of shark.; (© 2021 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.) |
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| Grant Information: | LabEX CORAIL |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: agonistic behavior; attack; dangerous marine wildlife; forensic anthropology and forensic odontology |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20210821 Date Completed: 20211118 Latest Revision: 20211118 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1556-4029.14865 |
| PMID: | 34418091 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Case Reports; Journal Article