Extremely rare great white shark behaviour spotted in Aussie lake: 'Bloody incredible'
People pay thousands of dollars to encounter great whites up close. One Aussie man unexpectedly experienced it for free at Lake Conjola.
The discovery of a great white shark swimming in a quiet Australian lake has been described as “pretty bloody incredible” by a leading expert. Footage taken on the water's edge shows the apex predator's fin momentarily break the surface.
The shark was filmed at Lake Conjola on the NSW South Coast, a popular holiday destination that's known for its waterskiing, canoeing and fishing. Luckily no one appears to have been in the water when the shark swam by on Sunday.
In the video, fishermen standing near a short pier can be seen watching it swim towards them. For a moment the shark's face is clearly visible in the crystal clear waters. Other than the sound of rippling water, the clip is mostly silent as onlookers watch in awe.
Leonardo Guida, a shark scientist at Australian Marine Conservation Society told Yahoo News the species is “incredibly important” to marine ecosystems. Comparing the shark to a nearby boat he believes it's roughly two metres in length, making it a juvenile — they are around 1.5 metres at birth.
“Here we see a white shark in the early stages of its life in a coastal area. And to be able to see that by standing on the ground and looking down is an experience very few people will have,” he said.
“People pay thousands of dollars to go see these animals from inside cages, and the chances of seeing them isn't guaranteed. Yet here in coastal NSW looking in the water, and there's this beautiful juvenile white shark just peacefully cruising by.”
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Although white sharks are feared around the world, sightings on Australia's east coast are relatively rare, and the species is listed as vulnerable to extinction. Recreational and commercial fishing, along with shark control programs by the NSW and Queensland governments are listed as key threats.
What was the shark doing at Lake Conjola?
Lake Conjola is just 300km from Port Stephens, one of only two known nursery sites for the species on the east coast of Australia — the other is in Corner Inlet in eastern Victoria.
While that might seem like a long way to swim, it’s a mere stroll when you consider the longest distance recorded by one was 20,000km. That shark, who scientists named Nicole, was tagged in waters off South Africa and she swam all the way to Australia in just 99 days.
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While there has been some debate online about whether the shark at Lake Conjola was a mako or a great white, Guida thinks the answer is clear. “White shark. No doubt about it. Pretty bloody incredible,” he said.
He believes the shark likely followed the salmon run to the south coast, as they make up the majority of its prey over the winter period. Rare sightings have also recently occurred at Byron Bay and Bondi Beach.
“It’s just the ocean working as it should. And we’re very fortunate in this instance to be able to see something like that,” he said.
Leon Hallam who filmed the shark has been contacted for comment.
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