A 13-metre whale carcass near City Beach is drawing great white sharks into shallower waters, and an expert says the scent may linger and keep attracting predators for weeks. The situation has prompted questions about whether available measures can change sharks’ movements and reduce risk near the shoreline.
News outlets report that authorities and researchers are looking at whether drum line bait could divert sharks away from an “offshore buffet” created by the carcass. However, scientists cited in the coverage express uncertainty about how effective baiting would be in the presence of a large, persistent food source. The key issue is whether sharks remain inshore simply because they follow the scent and feeding opportunities, regardless of bait trials.
Across outlets, the main focus is the same: the carcass’s size and lingering odour, the observed presence of great whites closer to shore, and the open scientific question of whether drum lines can counteract the influence of the whale’s remains.
