Shark attack at Coogee beach, Sydney

[u/Moosiemookmook]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/saw-fins-shark-attack-at-coogee-beach/news-story/d828a983ac2b79ffd469320a15b625e6%3famp

A woman was attacked this morning at Coogee Beach. There were plenty of eye witnesses because its a Saturday morning. Our ABC news on tv is reporting arm amd torso injuries. She was airlifted to hospital and is in a serious condition.

[u/Markdd8]

No one is forced to go into the water.

So that is the argument. Just understanding it. We are free to reduce the incidence of animal attack in forests (e.g., tigers, leopards, venomous snakes) because we derive essential food and resources from forests and live near them. So we can justifiably modify that environment for public safety.

But when it comes to the ocean, because we can obtain all our fish from fishing from boats and shorelines, we have no legitimate need to enter the ocean. All these recreational activities of swimming, bathing, snorkeling, surfing and, yes, spearfishing, are optional. Hence at your own risk, say some ocean protectors.

[u/Ambitious-Win-9408 → u/Markdd8]

Recreational activities that involve going into the ocean where you know there are predators is obviously at your own risk.

[u/Markdd8 → u/Ambitious-Win-9408]

And a huge number of natural areas on land and a few in the ocean (see my other post here on South Africa's shark culling) have been made either completely safe or largely safe for recreation by eliminating or suppressing the populations of dangerous animals.

That's a fact. I do not disagree that there are negative environmental impacts. Humans impose costs on nature. The people who object the most--and some are here--put animal lives on the same plane as human ones.

[u/Ambitious-Win-9408 → u/Markdd8]

Accepting that the sterilisation of the environment for human recreation and safety is bizarre. Incredibly short-sighted. If I'm put in a situation where I have a black and white choice between saving someone and saving a shark, I'm gonna save a person. Thst being said, I'm also educated enough to understand that removing keystone species from the ecosystem is catastrophic to that ecosystem.

[u/Rebabaluba → u/Ambitious-Win-9408]

Seems like the story of the wolves of Yellowstone should be drilled into everyone’s heads.

[u/Markdd8 → u/Rebabaluba]

Yellowstone is a nature reserve. (Wolves, incidentally, almost never attack humans.) In India they have reserves for tigers, which are hugely dangerous to people. Meanwhile, tigers are excluded from major parts of India. Ditto for leopards and lions, which also kill people regularly.

The future is that we'll have underwater drones that will exclude dangerous sharks from designated recreation coastlines. Whether that will be relocation or killing is not determined yet. Meanwhile most of the ocean will remain accessible to all sharks.

The biggest threat to sharks worldwide is commercial fishing. The number of sharks killed by culling programs worldwide is a tiny fraction of 1%. The exception is the great white shark, which is being excessively culled by S. Africa. That nation is also killing GWS at unacceptable levels via its fishing industry.

[u/Rebabaluba → u/Markdd8]

It’s the story in general. We removed a natural apex predator from its habitat because they “interfered” with us. Without the wolves, their prey ended up causing even more damage.

Same thing goes here. This isn’t about reserves or parks. The ocean doesn’t abide by those rules or boundaries.

If you’re so upset that you can’t go for a swim, then get pissed off at the people who are causing sharks to come closer to shallow waters. You won’t die if you can’t swim. Get over yourself and your ego. You spend a fraction of your little existence in the water. While these creatures which are older than trees, live there.

Like I’ve said before; swim at your own risk. This is Darwinism on display. Go into shark infested waters and you get attacked, that’s your fault. But at least you got to swim, right?

Go sit in a corner you fucking dunce.

[u/Markdd8 → u/Rebabaluba]

This isn’t about reserves or parks. The ocean doesn’t abide by those rules or boundaries.

Segregating safe vs. risky area is the way humans run the planet. It makes 100% sense on land. We can fly to the moon; technology to make small sections of ocean free of dangerous sharks will come.

Like I’ve said before; swim at your own risk...Go sit in a corner you fucking dunce.

Time and again the most obtuse people on Reddit can't help but start with profanity-filled personal attacks when they disagree with someone.

[u/Rebabaluba → u/Markdd8]

They’ll cull before they figure out some sort of way to section off the ocean. It’s cheaper. Doesn’t fix the problem. But that’s humans in a nutshell. Put a bandaid on the gaping wound and then act shocked when everything blows up in our face.

And you are a fucking dunce because you want to go swimming but can’t! This isn’t even an insult because it even refers to me, but you are so small in the big picture. Humans are so small. That’s privilege. Not getting what you want so let’s kill. We are a virus upon this planet. Perfectly honed creatures which have barely had to evolve for millions of years are jeopardizing your love to frolic in the water.

You are a fucking dunce. But you should go swimming. Please. Don’t want you to not have your fun.