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News South Africa

Shark net kills humpback whale in KZN

Tragedy struck in Umhlanga when a humpback whale was trapped in shark nets and died in the shallow waters, but Mike Anderson-Reade of the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board says that the shark nets are vital to protect the province's tourism sector.

The young whale's body was towed out to sea by members of the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board where onlookers said the mother was loitering in the distance. Anderson-Reade says that it is particularly unfortunate when other marine life die in shark nets when they venture into areas where the swimming zones protect humans.

More than 33 000 sharks have died in the past 30 years since the shark nets were deployed along the beachfront areas of beaches throughout most of the popular bathing areas along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline.

The problem for the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board is that other innocent species have died in the 'crossfire' caused by these nets. According to wildlifextra.com, at least 2 000 turtles have died, more than 8 000 rays and more than 2 000 dolphins and whales have been killed.

Kim McCoy, a director of shark conservation at Sea Shepherd - an international marine conservation organisation - says that shark nets are brutal, indiscriminate killers that kill individuals that may threaten any beachgoers.

The creatures die from suffocation when trapped in shark nets.

Read the full article on www.news24.com.
Read more on Wildlifextra.com - Whales killed by shark nets.

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