Sharks: Killers or Survivalists?

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16-foot great white thought responsible for horrific attack on surfer

Updated: 5:36 a.m. ET Dec. 17, 2004SYDNEY, Australia -

Authorities said Friday they would kill the shark that tore apart a young surfer near a popular south Australian beach as his friends reportedly tried to save him by beating the animal with oars.

The South Australia state government’s acting leader Kevin Foley said a single 16-foot great white shark was believed responsible for the savage attack on 18-year-old Nick Peterson. Earlier, authorities said they thought two sharks were involved.

Although great whites are a protected species, Foley said the government would destroy the shark because it was a threat to swimmers.

“The government’s position is quite clear,” Foley told reporters. “Any large shark, in close proximity to the beaches of our state, particularly the city of Adelaide, should be destroyed. Officers are authorized to take whatever necessary action to ensure the destruction of a shark posing risk.”

Horrific attack

Rescuers on Friday found what they believed to be human remains in waters close to where Peterson was killed, South Australia’s Sea Rescue Squadron spokesman Fraser Bell said.

The teenager was attacked after he fell from his surf board while it was being towed behind a motor boat Thursday at West Beach, close to Adelaide. His friends pounded the shark with oars in an attempt to make it release Peterson, The Australian newspaper reported, citing witnesses.

The shark ripped the young man apart, Bell told reporters.

“Apparently it tore him in half,” he said. Two 16-year-old boys who witnessed the attack were being treated for shock.

Despite the attack, West Beach was not closed, though police warned swimmers to stay within limits patrolled by life guards.

Several people visited the beach early Friday, media reported, but very few ventured into the water despite warm weather and calm seas perfect for swimming. A group of Peterson’s friends held hands as they walked across the sand.

Third fatality in recent months

The fatal shark attack was the third in recent months in Australian waters.

A 38-year-old man was killed by a shark while spearing fish on the Great Barrier Reef off northeast Australia on Saturday.

And two sharks attacked and killed a 29-year-old surfer off the Australian west coast in July. Experts said at the time that sharks were not known to hunt in pairs.

Keeper of Australia’s national Shark Attack File and operations manager at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, John West, said attacks would always occur in Australian waters and that the number of attacks did not appear to be on the rise.

He said it was uncommon for the victim to be eaten.

“Being killed and then eaten by a shark is not common at all. Most shark attacks relate to a single bite and a majority of them are let go,” West told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

© 2004 The Associated Press.

The swimmer was attacked by a "savage beast." Yes, sharks are savage animals when they are hungry and ready to feed. The ocean is where sharks live. Sharks "hunt" for food in their natural habitat. Now the land "Gods" are out for Charles Shark Manson's blood for brutally launching an unprovoked attack upon the highest form of intelligent life that exists on our planet. How socially inept of that shark's family for not teaching him proper table manners. Every good shark should know that it is their civic duty to fight the temptation that is their natural instinct for the good of all mankind. That shark is a psychopath who needs to either get right with God or find himself a suitable shark psychiatrist for maniacally disobeying the "thou shalt not kill" rule.

I am not, by any means, devaluing the lives of the human victims. Their deaths are undeniably tragic! But I can't help but be a little enraged when hearing that one of the victims was heinously attacked by a shark while innocently SPEARING fish in the Great Barrier Reef.

This is not a vegan rant. I follow that particular lifestyle because it's what's right for me. I have never and will never try to convert anyone. My point is, if people want to play in traffic, shouldn't it be expected that eventually they will be hit by a few oncoming cars?

The father of the boy who was killed has said that he doesn't want the shark killed. He said his son and his friends all know that when you surf, you are in the shark's territory, but this particular shark has been following and harrasing boats, it has been sighted 17 times in the past 7 days down the coast of WA, which is so much more than normal (last year we had 13 sightings all summer) it has forced beaches to be closed, etc.

This particular shark has become a menace, it has learnt that humans are food and easy prey and experts say it will kill again. That is why they want to kill it. It is not about this one boy's death, it is that the shark is a menace.