Great White Sharks: With Chris Fallows

One of the most famous and feared sharks in today's oceans... The Great White Shark. The movie Jaws, many fear mongering 'documentaries' on Shark Week and TV and decades of misleading headlines and stories in the media, are just some of the main reasons that the great white has such a bad reputation and global misunderstanding. We recently teamed up with South African great white and shark expert Chris Fallows (as seen on TV) of Apex Shark Expeditions, to talk about great whites, other sharks and find out some more truths behind the ever impressive and beautiful species. Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias).

**KEY: SAI = Shark Aid International. CF = Chris Fallows.

SAI: In your experience, what would you say is the most common misconception of great white sharks?

CF: That there are a lot of them and that their population is growing because of protection. This simply is not true. Our data, collected daily over the past 18 years does not support this. Added to this is the fact that in South Africa we still have the worlds largest Great White Shark killing organisation, the KZN Sharks Board which kills between 11-60 great whites each year. There are dedicated shark long lining permits given out by the South African government and there is sport fishing for great whites, the fact that it is termed "Protected" is a farce. The only thing that keeps them alive, for example in South Africa, is eco tourism and a few dedicated individuals and organisations.

SAI: Some of your photos and films are truly incredible and capture great whites in a most natural way. How would you describe great whites and why should people ignore the fear mongering headlines and negative feelings surrounding them?

CF: Thank you. I would describe the great white as a evolutionary masterpiece that is magnificent in every way. Added to this is the fact that the longer you spend with them the more you appreciate each ones unique personality and just what a privilege it is to have them in our oceans. 

SAI: What can people do in their own communities and local areas to increase awareness for sharks?

CF: Start eco-tourism projects that take tourists out to see or dive with the sharks. There are so many shark enthusiasts out there that even small less spectacular species still attract lots of tourists. In this way local people derive an income from the sharks, add to a tourists list of opportunities in an area and most importantly attach a value and appreciation to keeping the sharks alive.

SAI: South africa is one of, if not the main home for great whites and they are mostly well respected and admired in South Africa. What makes south African waters so special for white sharks?

CF: Many South Africans who have seen great whites or done research into them have an appreciation of them. It is almost always those who have never bothered to get out there and see the sharks for themselves who do not value their presence along our coast. In terms of what makes the coast so special is that it is home to an incredible cross section of shark and prey species with both tropical, temperate and cool water environments been found on our coast. This makes it an area that sustains huge volumes of bait fish and in turn a massive seal population. This coupled with the previously ample supply of smaller shark species means that the great white has both it's preferred winter and summer prey available along long stretches of our coast and the perfect environment for them to live in.

SAI: Alex, Shark Aid International's founder and director has been to South Africa and dove with great white sharks. It was a life changing experience for him and many others that do it. Why is cage diving a great way to promote sharks and show the public the truth behind the majestic animals?

CF: Quite simply it is only through exposure to something that we develop an interest or passion in it. When people see a great white shark in the flesh, especially if it is done in a way that showcases the beauty and majesty of these animals then there are few who do not go home wanting to see it again and make an effort to help promote it's conservation.

SAI: More and more people seem to be getting in the ocean each year, thus "more shark attacks are happening" around the world. This is a common myth that needs some attention. What can you say about modern day shark and human interaction?

CF: It will always happen that there are rare interactions that result in attacks. The only way to prevent it is either to stay out of the water or kill all of the sharks. Neither of these things are a good option, especially the latter. With better understanding of the predatory sharks habits people can do a huge amount to cut down the already very small risk that they take when they enter the ocean. With less than 10 fatal shark attacks globally each year and more than 100 million sharks being killed by humans it is a very clear case of who should be fearing who. 

SAI: What can other countries and regions take from south african shark management to better protect the global shark population? 

CF: Very sadly I do not think South Africa is a shining example anymore. Whilst the sharks are protected here on paper there is zero enforcement of laws and it is only eco tourism operators who have a vested interest in the sharks as well as a handful of scientists and even smaller number of government officials who are actually trying to keep sharks alive. South Africa still has an active shark long lining fishery for both pelagic as well as demersal sharks and has as mentioned the largest great white culling program on the planet. This is not a good example. I would say the best way to protect sharks is to empower people to make a living out of them through eco tourism and if fishing for sharks is to be allowed, to do the research first and see what stocks are like rather than believe what fishermen tell those who issue the permits.

SAI: Along with great whites, what other species of shark inhabit south african waters?

CF: More than 120 other species! Making our coast amongst the most shark rich in terms of diversity in the world.

SAI: Can you share one of your most fond and favourite experiences in the water with great white sharks?

CF: I guess my most amazing experience was watching a minimum of 28 different great whites and perhaps as many as 40 feeding on a 11m long whale carcass in 2000. It was simply incredible watching their social structure break down and huge 15ft sharks lying next to each other, pecs overlapping as they gorged themselves on the fat and energy rich blubber, WOW that really was phenomenal!

SAI: Where can people go to find our more about what you do?

CF: Check out www.apexpredators.com or subscribe to my wife Monique's Free newsletter on this site that gives each months highlights with the various sharks, species and locations that we work at. It is a great way for people to live vicariously through the amazing lives we have with these and other remarkable marine creatures and hopefully get motivated to join us or another eco tourism company where they can see live sharks for themselves.

Why Sharks? (Part 1 of 3)

This is the question I always get asked, and I’m sure that majority of the audience for this blog being shark lovers, you must all get the same? How dare people question your love for the most amazing creature on the planet, right? Well, it is unfortunately still widely believed that they are dangerous, emotionless, eating machines etc. This, for me, is a big reason to show off your obsession.. Their negative perception needs changing. I’m going to try not to ramble too much about the same facts and theories, but here goes..

Although sharks are often portrayed as ‘man-eaters’, shark bites are extremely rare, occurring on average 85 times per year across the globe and an average of 7 of these fatal. Let’s put this in to perspective. There are currently over 7 billion of us, each living on a continent surrounded by ocean. Many of us spend a lot of time in or around the sea’s edge that sharks frequent, and if this is the statistic, why are they seen as especially dangerous? I mean sure, there are risks, as there is with everything, that if you behave in certain ways the shark may feel obliged to have a bite for whatever reason (scared/ curious/ threatened). But from elephants to cows, toasters to vending machines, hotdogs to falling out of bed, most things in life are far more likely to kill you (by the thousands and millions), than sharks are!

Another thing worth discussing is the term ‘shark attack’. PhD candidate Christopher Neff, has explored the term and has deemed it (and, rightly so!), as unsuitable. It is misleading in that it gives the public the idea that sharks are more dangerous that they really are, even being used to describe incidences where there are no physical contact between humans and sharks. It also gives the impression that sharks bite unreasonably; much like a murderer will attack a victim. As mentioned, there is always a reason, just more research needs to be done to clarify these. You can read Christopher’s research paper here, or see a video of him discussing the topic of ‘rogue sharks’ here.

I’d like to share a couple more videos in attempts to try and re-shape the current perception of sharks, for anyone who may not be aware. Now remember, there is no denying that there IS a risk when diving with sharks, and no one should ever try it without a bit of professional advice & supervision.

Great white sharks, possibly the most feared of them all, are often encountered by humans from the safety of a cage. I get the impression from many people I converse with that they believe this is the only way to get close to them. It seems the use of a cage is for personal comfort, rather than a necessity- that or a way of keeping humans under control! If you know what you are doing however, diving in open water with white sharks can in fact be rather awe-inspiring, and they can be as timid as mice.. This clip from Pelagic Life shows how beautiful such an encounter can be. It even shows some footage of swimming with them (again, without a cage) under the cover of darkness, something unthinkable in the minds of many.

Finally, I’d like to show an example that I believe shows sharks aren’t emotionless beings. Having studied a science degree, I was often steered away from the idea of being ‘anthropomorphic’, and applying human emotions to other animals, but as my Behavioral Ecology teacher often said, what else are we to think when all we know is how we’d feel in the given situations? But here is a video (which you may have seen), of sharks acting in a docile manner, swimming toward the diver possibly out of curiosity, and sticking around for a spot of ‘petting’, which would lead one to believe that they might be enjoying this interaction.

If you have anything to share, something you’d like to elaborate on or add, please feel free to leave a comment and make this blog the best possible source of information!