Sharks have killed seven people off Western Australia since 2010. Can culling stop them – and what will be the cost to marine wildlife?
EARLIER this year, thousands of protesters gathered at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Australia. Their message was rather surprising. "Rights, rights, rights for great whites," the crowd chanted. They were demanding an end to shark culling.
The culling – or "localised shark mitigation strategy" as some politicians prefer to call it – was prompted by seven fatal shark attacks off Western Australia since 2010, which led to a fall in tourism and leisure activities. Baited drum lines were used to catch sharks off swimming beaches last summer, with the aim of killing any great white, tiger or bull sharks longer than 3 metres. Others were released if still alive. By the end ...
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