Posted on 06/24/2003 7:39:01 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SYDNEY (Reuters) -
A Great White Shark has gatecrashed a tuna research project in Australia, mysteriously appearing inside a fishing pen containing around 100 tuna.
The 13-foot shark, weighing about 1,500 pounds, is thought to have either bitten its way into the tuna pond or leapt a 7.5 foot electrified fence while chasing a seal last Thursday.
Scientists at the pen off the coast of the South Australian tuna fishing town of Port Lincoln said Tuesday the shark had swum contently around the pen, but they were not sure how the tuna felt about their uninvited guest.
A head count of the tuna showed two had disappeared.
"When the shark swims to the surface the tuna swim to the bottom of the net and vice versa," said a spokesman for the South Australian Research Development Institute.
The scientists, who are studying tuna feeding, said they eventually coaxed the Great White from the cage by using a net to funnel it out through underwater gates.
Yup! Those things have huge mouths, and they look quite a bit like Great Whites. About half the "GW" sightings this year off the Long Island and New Jersey coasts turned out to be Basking Sharks when the fishermen got closer.
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