When Competition Breaks the Rules: Feeding Frenzy as a Trigger for Unexpected Fatal Shark Predation Bites on a Human Sea‐User by Non Traumatogenic Carcharinids in the Oriental Mediterranean
ABSTRACT The fatal shark attack on a male tourist in Hadera (Oriental Mediterranean coast) in 2025 involved several Dusky sharks ( Carcharhinus obscurus ), a species not considered to be traumatogenic to humans. Artificial provisioning in the area has resulted in habituation with behaviors including begging, potentially resulting in a bold shark displaying a first reflex/clumsiness bite targeting the camera held by the snorkeler, unintentionally wounding him. The sound and olfactory stimuli have likely triggered a feeding frenzy leading to multiple sharks engaging in predation bites. In this case study, extreme competition between individuals has probably overridden the non‐instinctive prey nature of the human victim.
Authors
- Éric Clua (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7629-2685)
- Kristian J. Parton
Institutions
- École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR)
- University of Exeter (GB)
- Université des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Bamako (ML)
- Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement (PF)
- Clinica Rotger (ES)
- University of French Polynesia (PF)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Ethology
- Published
- 2025-08-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.70013
- Primary Topic
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Béatrice Ederer-Weber Stiftung