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	Shark attacks, kills another surfer near South Africa shark baiting site by LUTHER MONROE @ CDNN - Cyber Diver News Network August 30, 2009 MOSSEL BAY, South Africa — A shark attacked and killed another surfer near a controversial South Africa shark cage diving site. Authorities in South Africa told CDNN they believe a great white shark attacked 25-year-old Gerhard van Zyl Saturday afternoon while he was surfing at Glentana Bay near Mossel Bay. Witnesses said the shark bit off the victim's right leg above the knee. He was airlifted in critical condition to George Hospital where he was pronounced dead due to loss of blood. In July, a shark attacked 37-year-old Paul Buckley while he was surfing in the same area. Buckley survived the attack thanks to bystanders who rushed him to hospital where 150 stitches were required to close a deep 37cm long wound on his thigh. In March, a shark attacked and killed 16-year-old Luyolo Mangele as he surfed at Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, a popular destination for divers and underwater photographers who pay for "interactive" shark feeding dives that guarantee encounters with sharks. In January, a shark attacked and killed Sikhanyiso Bangilizwe, 25, while swimming in the same area. South Africa shark cage diving The fatal attack came days after South Africa's Dept. of Environmental Affairs announced that shark cage diving in the area would be allowed even closer to shore near beaches at Great Brak and Hartenbos. Many surfers and beach-goers in South Africa blame scuba diving operators who make money feeding and baiting sharks for the increase in shark attacks. To date, authorities have failed to crack down on shark feeding and shark baiting profiteers who destroy the natural defense systems of sharks in order to sell guaranteed shark encounters to thrill-seeking tourists and underwater photographers. Although naturally wary of humans and difficult to photograph in the wild, sharks can be manipulated and provoked with bait to "perform" and "model" for Steve Irwin wannabes and underwater image touts who profit from the sales of close-up "in your face" pictures of big sharks. Click graphic to view Shark Feeding Timeline   Sharks are beautiful animals that deserve to be fully protected from all human exploitation including shark finning and shark feeding. While legitimate marine conservation groups and respected scientists do the hard, tedious work to protect endangered shark species, dive industry insiders lobby to prevent full protection of sharks, green-wash the lucrative shark feeding industry as "conservation" and "education" and argue that people have the right to die or get hurt while participating in shark feeding dives. In June 2009, a woman died after she was attacked by a "provoked" shark at an illegal shark feeding site in the Red Sea. In 2008, a man died after he was attacked by another "provoked" shark while diving with notorious Florida shark feeder Jim Abernethy of Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures.  To get around Florida's shark feeding ban and continue profiting from activities based on provoking marine predators to perform for thrill-seeking tourists, Abernethy takes divers from Florida to the Bahamas on the Shear Water, an old bare bones live-aboard dive boat.  In Hawaii, shark feeders have avoided prosecution by taking tourists three miles offshore, however, federal law prohibits feeding sharks within 200 miles of Hawaii's coasts.   CDNN RELATED NEWS CDNN SPECIAL REPORT - Shark Feeding SOUTH AFRICA - Shark attacks another surfer near shark baiting site SOUTH AFRICA - Tiger shark killed surfer near tiger shark baiting site SOUTH AFRICA - Shark kills teen surfer near shark baiting site SOUTH AFRICA - Tiger shark kills lifeguard near tiger shark baiting site SOUTH AFRICA - Shark feeders threaten public safety SOUTH AFRICA - Lifeguard loses foot after shark attack in shark feeding area SOUTH AFRICA - Public wants shark feeding, cage diving industry stopped SOUTH AFRICA - Stop shark cage diving say shark attack victims SOUTH AFRICA - Guns, poachers, shark feeders, mafia, beautiful marine life SOUTH AFRICA - Public wants shark feeding banned SOUTH AFRICA - Shark attack victim 'knew it was his time' SOUTH AFRICA - Diver swallowed whole by great white shark says witness SOUTH AFRICA - Dive gear, pieces of shark victim's wetsuit found SOUTH AFRICA - Diver missing after shark attack in shark feeding area SCUBA FORUM HAVE YOUR SAY - Discuss this article KNOW BEFORE YOU GO SCUBALINX :: Dive Africa SCUBALINX :: Dive Kenya SCUBALINX :: Dive Tanzania CDNN DESTINATIONS :: Africa © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK   SHARK BAITING: Hype vs Reality Myth: Shark feeders and shark baiters aim to conserve sharks. Truth: Dive industry-endorsed shark feeders and shark baiters aim to profit from so-called "interactive" shark feeding tours that harm marine wildlife and compromise public safety. Myth: Shark feeding is a non-issue because shark finning is worse. Truth: Just because there are people doing worse things to sharks does not make shark feeding trivial, or a non-issue. Myth: Baiting sharks or feeding sharks does not modify shark behavior. Truth: Manipulating sharks with bait to approach dive boats and "perform" for a dozen or more thrill-seeking scuba diving tourists, or "model" for underwater photographers, severely damages their natural defense mechanisms and significantly increases the probability they will be killed by shark fishers. Myth: Feeding or baiting sharks is the solution to finning sharks. Truth: There is no evidence that the billion plus consumers who eat sharks are motivated by hatred, fear and revenge, nor that rebranding sharks as "circus" or "rodeo" performers will make them less appetizing. Since the dive industry endorsed "interactive" shark diving, the number of sharks killed every year has tripled to satisfy the increasing Chinese demand for shark fin soup. Myth: People get their information about sharks from Hollywood horror movies. Truth: Most people do not get their information about sharks from crude, dated Hollywood horror movies (JAWS) nor underwater image touts masquerading as conservationists.  While it is natural to fear apex predators such as bears, lions, tigers and sharks, it is not natural to wish them to be wiped off the face of the planet. People understand that most big animal species are threatened by human activities and should be protected. Myth: Pretending that sharks do not eat humans will help protect them. Truth: Whale sharks are renowned as the gentle giants of the shark world.  They do not eat humans, yet they are among the most endangered of all shark species. While not the perferred main course of apex predators, the notion that humans are somehow exempt from the menu is almost as absurd as the notion that encouraging people to bait, feed, poke, prod and ride sharks will stop one billion plus people from eating them.
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