As a Scuba diver, you come across a huge variety of marine life from fish, coral, sharks, whales and so on. Many a times you encounter marine creatures that just wow you, maybe by how they look or what they do that’s so fascinating, some look deceptively pretty but can pack a mean bite or sting when called for and lastly there’s the bizarre and plain ugly creatures that make you re-think entering the water again.  We’d like to call them – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of the Underwater World. One thing is for sure…it’s a whole other World down there!

The Good (Fish)

Parrotfish
These beautifully bright colored reef fish, have quite the outer appearance with their peculiar beak shaped mouth. They come in hues of green, shades of blue, reds and yellows. But more than just their pretty colors, is their contribution to this planet. Did you know that Parrotfish are largely responsible for the fine white sand of many tropical coral islands today? Yes, this seemingly ordinary fish breaks down chunks of coral and rocky substrates for algae and they grind up the coral rock, excreting the same as a fine sand. Over the thousands of years they’ve helped create the small islands and sandy beaches in the Bahamas and Caribbean among others. One parrot fish can produce upto 90kgs (approx. 198 pounds) of sand each year. (Read: The Most Beautiful Fish in the Reef)  

(*image source: wikipedia.org)

The Bad (Fish)

Lionfish
This seemingly attractive fish is hard to miss with it’s bright stripes and big showy fins. Among the fancy fins however are 13 sharp spines that scream stay away. Loaded with a neurotoxin, the lionfish is one of the most venomous fish on the ocean floor. The lionfish is also referred to as Turkey Fish, Dragon Fish, Scorpion or Fire Fish. This small fish is quite the big bully and most fish and not to mention divers will keep a safe distance from it. Their sting is are not deadly or fatal to humans, but the person is likely to experience extreme pain, possibly headaches, vomiting, and breathing difficulties.

(*photo by: richard ling on flickr)

The Ugly (Fish)

Blob Sculpin
This deep sea fish is one of the ugliest fish you could find in the ocean. The name Blob Sculpin comes from it’s obvious blob like appearance. The flabby spineless fish however isn’t reported to be harmful in any way. It feeds mainly on crustaceans, molluscs, and sea urchins.

The Good (Shark)

Whale Shark
Whale sharks known as the gentle giants of the sea are a rare filter feeding variety of the otherwise feared shark species. These colossal creatures grow to a length of 20m and weigh up to 12,000 Kg and feed off zooplankton, squid and small fish. With white spots much like stars on the back of this massive yet magnificent fish, whale sharks are gentle and people friendly creatures unlike its other shark relatives. An absolute joy to dive or snorkel with they are quite an attraction to divers. (Read: Diving with Gentle Giants-The Whale Shark)

(*photo by: Noodlefish on flickr)

The Bad (Shark)

Bull Shark
As notorious as the big daddy of sharks the Great White, Bull sharks to have a reputation that surpasses them. Known for its unpredictable, often aggressive behavior, the bull shark is more of a threat to human than other shark species because of it’s affinity to dwell in shallow waters. They can live in rivers, estuaries and some lakes. In fact, some have been found as far as 3000 km up the Amazon and Mississippi rivers making them responsible for the majority of shark attacks on humans and even those that take place near the shore. (Read: 10 Common Shark Sightings )

(*photo by: pterantula on flickr)

The Ugly (Shark)

Basking Shark
Another harmless but strange looking variety from the shark family is the Basking shark. This filter feeder is called the basking shark because it is most often observed when feeding at the surface and appears to be basking. They feed at or close to the surface with their mouths wide open and gill rakers erect and only the first 3 or 4 rows of the upper jaw and 6 or 7 rows of the lower jaw are functional. Scary looking as they maybe these sharks are pretty harmless to humans if left alone.

(*image source: wikipedia.org)

The Good (Whale)

Beluga Whale
This cute snowy white whale colloquially known as the Sea Canary on account of the high-pitched squeaks, squeals, clucks and whistles it makes, is very smart creature. This display of intelligence was clear in the recent incident where the Beluga Whale saved a free diver from drowning. Beluga’s are popular for their amusing facial expressions unlike other whales and they have an almost perpetual smile giving them a friendly face. An amazing fact about this whale is that it unlike most whales can swim backwards.

The Bad (Whale)

Orcas (Killer Whale)
Quite unlike it’s portrayal in ‘Free Willy’ the Hollywood blockbuster Orcas or Killer Whale as they are more commonly known are not the friendliest or nicest of whales. In fact they are quite the predators in the ocean and hunt sharks,marine mammals including sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales. Although they aren’t a direct threat to humans, incidents of Orcas being a little aggressive towards their handlers in marine park and one such incident resulted in a fatality.

(*photo by: limowreck666 on flickr)

The Ugly (Whale)

Gray Whale
At 16 meters (52 ft), 36 tons and an average age of 50–60 years, Gray Whales are huge, ugly and old! This dark slate-gray Whale is covered by characteristic gray-white patterns and scars left by parasites which drop off in the cold feeding grounds.

(*image source: wikipedia.org)

September 29^th 2009:

The Republic of Palau is an Island nation in the Pacific some 500 miles east of the Philippines , with a rich and diverse marine ecosystem surrounding it. The economy of Palau subsists primarily on tourism, agriculture  and fisheries, and it came as a great surprise to all when they announced in the recent UN Assembly  the brave step to create the world’s first “shark sanctuary”, banning all commercial shark fishing in its waters.

The move announced by the Island nation’s President Johnson Toribiong, stated that Palau will protect about 600,000 sq km (230,000 sq miles) of ocean, roughly the area of France, and aim to curb the cruel practice if shark fining, which is the process of catching sharks, cutting off their fins and throwing the rest of the fish, still alive, back into the ocean to die.

The fins are prized throughout Asia for use in sharks fin soup and local medicines. As many as 100 million sharks are killed each year around the world and the once prolific shark, is now slated to be placed on the endangered list in the next few years.

“Palau will declare its territorial waters and extended economic zone to be the first officially recognized sanctuary for sharks,” Palauan President Johnson Toribiong told the Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

The Palau Shark Sanctuary will not only serve to protect the Shark but will also aid in Palau ’s economic growth, with a tourism industry that relies heavily on World-class Scuba diving, and snorkeling as a leading source of revenue the destruction of Palau’s shark population contributes to unbalancing of the marine reef diversity which could over time cause fish populations to decline.

At present with only one boat to patrol the waters of Palau which is an area the size of Texas, seems like a monumental task and will need to step up its enforcement measures; but is indeed a step in the right direction and should serve to encourage other nations to take better measures to conserve our marine ecosystems.

With close to 450 different species of Sharks that inhabit the oceans, sooner or later a Scuba diver is bound to spot one. To some of us spotting a shark on a dive is a great thrill and to others our worst nightmare. We have compiled a list of some of the more common and interesting shark species to help better identify these intimidating yet magnificent creatures.

Black Tip Reef Shark

One of the more common sightings on a reef dive is the Black-Tip Reef Shark which are found in the shallow coral reefs of tropical waters primarily in the indo-pacific. With a brownish skin color, the tips of the shark’s pectoral fin and dorsal fins are black, with a white underside. It has been recorded at up to 2 m (6.5 ft) in length and over 99 lbs (45 kg) in weight. Black tip reef sharks feed mainly on reef fish and are not known to attack divers.

White Tip Reef Shark

Also a frequent sighted shark, Whitetip reef shark are also found along the indo-pacific coral reefs and sometimes as far east as south Africa and Central America.  The Whitetip shark grows up to 1.6m (5.2ft) in length and is easily recognizable by its white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins. Living off a diet of fish, crustaceans and octopus, this species hunts mainly at night and are seldom aggressive towards humans.

Nurse Sharks

Are found in the shallow tropical and sub tropical waters of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific regions. Nurse Sharks can grow to a length of 4.3 meters (14ft) and is recognizable by its distinctive mouth which is far ahead of its eyes and made for bottom-feeding. Nocturnal by nature these sharks feed on crustaceans, mollusks stingrays and other fish.  Nurse sharks typically attack humans only if directly threatened.

Whale shark

These colossal creatures grow to a length of 20m and weigh up to 12,000 Kg feeding off zooplankton, squid and small fish. Found in all temperate and tropical regions, whale sharks  are instantly recognizable by its distinct spotted and striped body and wide mouth. Whale sharks are gentle giants and are very popular with divers that enjoy observing and swimming alongside these creatures while feeding. This species, despite its size, does not pose any significant danger to humans.

Blue Shark

All sharks swim very fast, but the blue shark is the fastest. These slender looking blue-skinned sharks can grow up to 12 feet long (4 meters). Inhabiting mainly the tropical and temperate waters of the ocean, the Blue shark is highly migratory. Its diet is mainly composed of squid and small bony fishes. The blue shark is considered to be one of the more dangerous sharks. It has been known to attack humans, which makes it one of species of shark that people most fear, however according to Wikipedia only 4 recorded Blue Shark fatalities have been recorded as of 2008.

Hammerhead Sharks

The most unique species of shark and also one of the more recognizable ones is the Hammerhead shark. Growing to a length of up to 6 m (20ft),it is known for its flat hammer shaped snout. Hammerheads inhabit temperate waters across the world ranging from southern Canada to New Zealand. Known to possess especially well developed electro-receptors  for hunting, hammerheads feed on a variety of fish and bottom dwelling creatures. There have been reported cases where Hammerhead sharks have attacked humans which are why they are feared.

Bull Sharks

Often confused with the great white shark, the bull shark is amongst the top three most dangerous sharks roaming in our oceans. The bull shark has a short, wide, rounded snout and plumper bodies.  Bull sharks are known for their aggressive behavior and the fact that they can live in both freshwater and saltwater. They can live in rivers, estuaries and some lakes in Central America. In fact, some have been found as far as 3000 km up the Amazon and Mississippi rivers. Bull Sharks feed on a wide variety of creatures including turtles, dolphins, seabirds and even other sharks.

Sand Tiger Sharks

Sand Tiger Sharks are also known as Grey nurse sharks are rather slow moving sharks and not aggressive to humans unless provoked. It grows to a length of 3.2 m (about 10.5 ft) and is identifiable by  its grey back and white underside. Found in the coastal waters of tropical and temperate regions, Sand Tiger sharks feed primarily on bony fishes including mackerels, other sharks and rays, squids, crabs and lobsters.

Tiger Sharks

Tiger sharks are perhaps most well known for their aggressive natures and bad reputation as a threat to humans. Second to the Great White, the Tiger Shark is responsible for the second highest number of fatalities related to shark attacks. Growing to a length of 5 meters and reaching a weight of almost 700kg tiger sharks will eat almost anything. They have been known to feed on whales, squid, fish, and turtles and even seabirds.

Great White Sharks

The big daddy of all sharks and also the most feared predator of the seas, the Great White like the Tiger Shark will feed on anything. Averaging about 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) Great Whites diet mainly comprises of seals, dolphins, whale carcasses, seabirds, turtles, squids and other sharks. The Great White Shark is found near the coasts of California, Australia and South Africa. Known to be responsible for almost 10 human fatalities a year, diving with Great Whites must be performed only with highly experienced divers and from the safety of a shark cage. (Also Read: Overcoming The ‘Jaws’ Factor When You Dive)

Photos by:WIlly Volk, StormyDog, richard ling, bryan scott photography, jon hanson, pterantula, Nemo’s great uncle, Thespis377, g-na

For the Best in Scuba Gear and Equipment right from Scuba regulators, Wetsuits,  Buoyancy Compensators, Scuba Accessories, underwater camera housings and more visit LeisurePro.com- The Diver’s Emporium

Many people are unsure about Scuba Diving and claim with certainty that they would never try it. Ask them why? and one of the most common replies is ‘Are you kidding? I’ve seen the movie Jaws!’. So is this fear of sharks and Scuba diving justified?

(*Photo by SF Brit on flickr)

Well, we’d be lying if we said that the chances of seeing and encountering a shark was low or even non existent. Let’s face it, you dive in open waters and as the biggest predators in the ocean, there are over 400 different species of sharks. However, hundreds of thousands of divers encounter them on dives across the world and that’s not counting the daredevil kind who specifically go shark diving wanting to cross it off their ‘list of things to do before I die’ and they don’t become shark bait.

Contrary to popular belief, Jaws and the endless shark attack programs shown on TV, there have been very few shark attacks on Scuba divers.  Let’s just say your chances of getting hit by lightning, dying of a wasp, bee or snake bite are a lot more than becoming a shark’s supper. In the United States the annual risk of death from lightning is 30 times greater than that from shark attack. (*Photo by manoellemos on flickr)

If you think about it logically, Sharks just like most animals are weary of foreign objects (read as humans in the ocean!). Look at it from a shark’s point of view- if you came across a noisy bubble blowing, large strange shaped  creature carrying Scuba gear and equipment on their backs that often flashes bright lights (with dive flashlights or underwater cameras) and not to mention in groups or at least more than one, would you stick around to figure whether they would harm you? If you’re still thinking, the answer is No.

Worldwide there have been probably 70-100 shark attacks annually resulting in about 5-15 deaths as compared to the millions of dives conducted each each. Of these the Scuba diving related shark attack percentage is very low. The majority of this unfortunate incidents occurred to surfers, swimmers, skin divers, kayakers while swimming or surfing in near shore waters. In most instances, these probably are cases of mistaken identity that occur under conditions of poor water visibility and not an intentional to feed on the human. The victim seldom sees its attacker and the shark does not return after inflicting a single bite or slash wound as it soon realizes that it isn’t it’s usual prey.

As bad as a Shark taking a nip at you may sound and with no intention of downplaying the severity of the situation, the shark attack trauma is less common than such beach-related injuries as spinal damage, dehydration, jellyfish and stingray stings and sunburn.

A few stats on your odds of being attacked according to the Florida Museum of Natural History based on data from 68 ocean lifeguard agencies within jurisdiction is
Drowning and other beach-related fatalities - 1 in 2 million
Drowning fatalities -  1 in 3.5 million
Shark attacks -  1 in 11.5 million
Shark attack fatalities - 0 in 264.1 million
(*Photo by c.lathe on flickr)

At first many divers find the thought of sharks quite disturbing mostly cause they tend to have a certain presence that you can’t quite trust. But if you do get the pleasure (yes, it is exhilarating to be in the presence of such a creature) of seeing one, you will find that they tend to be more afraid of you than you of them with the exception of a few types (namely- the Great White Shark, Tiger Sharks and Bull Sharks). Sharks are definitely not the evil monsters that you see on TV. They truly are very misunderstood.

If this is still the only unnerving fear you have of Scuba diving, the best and only way of overcoming it is facing it head on. Only by experience will you get over your fears and it won’t take you long to wish you spot a harmless shark on a dive.

For those divers who still get the jitters when they hear the word Shark, look out for our Tips on How to React in the presence of a Shark. (*Photo by StormyDog on flickr)

In recent news in Chatham, Massachusetts officials first reported sightings of great white sharks in the area early on Friday, Sept. 4th, 2009. The next day’s news confirmed the shutting down all of east-side facing beaches of Chatham for swimming as three great whites came within 75 yards of the coastline. Harbormaster patrols closely and monitor the area for sharks regularly. Beaches however will remain off-limits to swimmers till the middle of the week officials said.

(*Photo by- cdngrlnaomi on flickr)

Early Saturday a team of Cape Cod fishermen along with a state biologist, successfully tagged two of the great whites with tracking devices. This operation was the first successive great white shark tagging in Atlantic Ocean.

CNN News Reported:

“The taggings took place in the waters near Chatham, Massachusetts, two days after Greg Skomal, shark expert for the Division of Marine Fisheries, reported as many as five large sharks were seen near Monomoy Island, a National Wildlife Refuge off the southern elbow of Cape Cod. The island is about a mile away from Chatham’s Lighthouse Beach, a public swimming area.”

Tagging these sharks with satellite trackers better allows scientists to track the shark’s movements thus helping them understand their migratory patterns. Found near the coasts of California, Australia and South Africa, the Great White’s appearance near New England is relatively rare but not unheard of because of it’s seal colonies. Chatham does see other sharks species like makos, blue sharks and thresher sharks quite regularly because of the same.

So, while the big daddy of all sharks the Great White has taken residence off the Massachusetts shore, much to the inconvenience of beach swimmers, the tagging of the most feared predator of the sea’s is a boon to researchers who will hopefully gather some valuable data about these complex creatures which is a big step in learning more about them in the long run.

For the Best in Scuba Gear and Equipment right from Scuba regulators, Wetsuits,  Buoyancy Compensators, Scuba Accessories, underwater camera housings and more visit LeisurePro.com- The Diver’s Emporium