Public banned from City Beach as expert warns scent of 31-tonne whale carcass could attract sharks for a week
Authorities have closed City Beach in Perth after a 31-tonne whale carcass washed ashore, attracting large sharks. Experts warn that the scent and biological residue will continue to draw predators to the area for at least a week after the carcass is removed.
Why it matters
The incident poses a significant public safety risk and highlights the logistical challenges of managing large marine wildlife strandings in populated areas.
A shark expert has warned the “juices” of a 31-tonne whale carcass would likely remain in the waters around City Beach for at least a week even after the animal has been removed, attracting sharks to the area. The giant whale washed up Monday morning, luring not just hoards of onlookers to the sand but plenty of giant great white sharks into the shallows as well. On Tuesday those on the beach stood and watched a 5m great white less than 20m away. The sight also made for more incredible drone footage but authorities are frustrated about the number of private drones hovering in the area, at times stopping the shark spotting helicopter from being where it needed to be. Macquarie University Fish Lab head Culum Brown expected sharks would hang around the area for at least a week after the whale is eventually trucked away.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in