What is special about Shark Bay?
Shark Bay is one of the world’s most significant and secure strongholds for the protection of Dugong, with a population of around 11,000. Increasing numbers of Humpback Whales and Southern Right Whales use Shark Bay as a migratory staging post, and a famous population of Bottlenose Dolphin lives in the Bay.
What sharks live in seagrass meadows?
Shark Bay, Australia, is home to some of the most extensive and pristine seagrass beds around the world. Common inhabitants of Shark Bay include tiger sharks, dugongs, and sea turtles. A dugong grazing on seagrass.
Why is it called Shark Bay?
There is a reason why Shark Bay is so called. “Sharks we caught a great many of, which our men eat very savourily,” wrote English explorer William Dampier in 1699. “Among them we caught one which was 11 feet long.” Dampier named the place “Shark’s Bay” in honour of these magnificent fish.
Do sharks live in seagrass beds?
Sharks, it turns out, are one of the seagrasses’ best allies in the fight to survive. When factors such as heat waves destroy seagrasses, sharks become critical for ecosystem health. Where sharks rove seagrass beds, dugongs and other shark prey species steer clear.
Can you swim at Shark Bay?
The waters of Shark Bay are generally safe for swimming. Despite warm Leeuwin current influences it is quite cool in winter.
Is Shark Bay full of sharks?
Sharks There are at least 28 shark species in Shark Bay. The most impressive is the Tiger Shark or “thaaka” in Malgana language. The most common to spot is the Nervous Shark, a small shark that gets its name due to its timid nature….Connect with us…
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Do dugongs get eaten by sharks?
Adult dugongs do not have any natural predators, but juveniles may be eaten by saltwater crocodiles, killer whales, and large, coastal sharks.
Do tiger sharks eat dugongs?
Combined with poor eyesight, their languid lifestyle makes dugongs relatively easy prey for tiger sharks, who are famously unfussy eaters. Across their range, these fearsome predators have been found with all sorts of tasty prey in their stomachs, from fish and crustaceans to turtles and sea snakes.
How big is the seagrass bank in Shark Bay?
Shark Bay World Heritage Area is home to 12 of the world’s 60 seagrass species. The Wooramel seagrass bank stretches 130 km along Shark Bay’s eastern coastline and at 1030 km2 is the largest seagrass bank in the world.
Why are the seagrasses in Shark Bay dying?
In 2003 the United Nations calculated 15% of the world’s seagrass meadow had disappeared in the previous 10 years, largely due to human activities along coastlines. Surveys since 2012 indicate that seagrass is declining in Shark Bay due to extended periods of higher than average water temperatures in 2011.
What kind of plants grow in Shark Bay?
Seagrasses are submerged flowering plants. Shark Bay’s seagrass meadows grow in lines parallel to prevailing currents in waters largely protected from oceanic currents. Lots of light penetrates these low rainfall areas resulting in clear, calm, shallow waters.
What to see and do in Shark Bay?
From the deepest navy blue to the brightest, clearest turquoise and absolutely teeming with marine life, Shark Bay’s crystal clear waters offer the chance to experience once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters.