Overview
- Experts issued fresh warnings on Wednesday that the combination of recent heavy rain and seasonal sea-surface temperature changes is increasing the likelihood of bull sharks and great white sharks approaching Sydney and other east-coast beaches.
- Bull sharks are being attracted by warmer water around 20°C and low-salinity brackish zones created by runoff, while great whites are responding to cooler pockets of ocean water that also bring them nearer to shore.
- Officials and specialists are advising swimmers and surfers to stay between the flags, avoid brackish water and lone ocean entries, form groups in the water, and check local beach closures before entering the sea.
- The warnings follow a concentrated cluster of four shark bites in New South Wales in January, including the fatal mauling of 12-year-old Nico Antic, which heightened community concern and prompted closer monitoring.
- Claims that sharks have been tracked north to the Great Barrier Reef were reported by a senior ranger but are less well corroborated than the local temperature and runoff drivers, so authorities say the main, evidence-backed risk is nearshore movement from current weather and water conditions.