May 27. - A spate of shark attacks in Mexico has alarmed residents, and Mexican authorities have begun killing sharks to protect tourism.
Fred Katayama reports.
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Summary: Sharks rarely attack people but three surfers in Mexico were killed by the sharks' attack. It surprised the local residents and the government. The government was afraid of losing tourists in the coastal resort area. So they started killing sharks, and even displayed the carcasses. Environmentalists, however, were alarmed at the killing of sharks and asked the authority to stop it. One woman claimed it is the natural habitate for sharks and slaughtering them could disturb the ecological balance. She demands the authority to employ different measures to warn tourists of the sharks' attack like putting up the banners.
Opinion: As a kid I'd watched the movie, "Jaws", where a giant shark bites people's legs or arms and kills them. However, I heard that sharks rarely attacks people. I think the sharks that attacked the people who were at the sea must have been quite disturbed by the human presence in their habitate. I strongly opposed to the authority's way of solving the problem: catching and killing the sharks. They should have caught and set them free in the far-way sea. Or they should have consulted the shark experts for any advice on why they attack humans and how they can stop their violent behavior.
Deadly sharks attack attack a rare but in just past two month, a shark attacks three surfers in Mexico, killing two of them.
Mexica surfing of Pacific coast near the resort town, Zicotaneho.
Last month, just a few miles away, a San Franciscan was killed after sharks beats him in his legs and just passed in Saterday, a shark beats the American surfer on the head inside western mexico.
Spade of attacks has alarmed in the coast residents.It is alarmed government too. Officials are afraid of losing tourists so it has begun killing sharks in good order at all. It is putting the hundred of sharks on display.
That is alarmed by animal activists.
"We are immediately demanding to not hunt in this mexico.
Sharks in their habitude attack in their territory. Authority should have taken in different mesures to warn to tourists and residents but it is not good killing sharks because one hundred million of sharks are killed each year."
Opinion: Dead man's feet in video are horrible sight. I am afraid of swimming in the sea. As I watched news,great white sharks,long recognized as the most dangerous of marine creatures,come out the East Sea and attack people.
However,I don't want to kill sharks because it may cause big problems of marine food chain. As animal activists interview, Attacking people who are in their terriory is shark's own habitude.
I think Pilsu and Yoobin both share feelings about sharks that many of us could relate to. They can be somewhat fearsome to contemplate...
However, both of you also point out (I think quite correctly) that the ocean is the sharks' habitat and sharks are integral to marine life and food chains. Do we have the right to slaughter them because it is inconvenient for our swimming hobbies? Mmm, interesting question!
Thanks for contributing your thoughts, Pilsu and Yoobin.
Best wishes,
~ Jason
It might scare some tourists, but the victims are mostly surfers who go farther in the sea than the average tourist. So it doesn't really affect tourists. But, it is clear that hunting these animals is not the way to go, since it would threaten and disturb the ecological balance of these areas...if 100 000 sharks are killed every year, there should already be visible consequences on the underwater environment. Special spots could be built for surfers to practice with no danger, and without "bothering" sharks.
Are these attacks the result of sharks feeling offensed in their territory when they see a surfer, or of their killer instinct, if there is any?
These animals are to be respected anyway, so I think having protected spots for surfers and swimmers would be a good solution, even if it has to be outside of the sea. Surfers probably search the contact with the sea, but they have to recognise that it might be very dangerous, even with all the respect they might have for it.
The report is about fetal shark attacks on surfers on maxico beach. Two people are killed due to it.Number of Torist are decreasing due to sharks. People and residents are alarmed due to danger.Local people are hunting and displaying them. Many activist do not like it and recommend not to kill them.
Hi
I agree with all of you, I think killing sharks is not the right remedy of the problem. How we could think that we have the right to interfere to the shark's habitat? Will we like if someone comes to our home and kill our child? I do not think so! The Mexican authority does not have any right to kill these animals.
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