Latest news with #sharksighting
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Popular Mass. beach taking precautions after string of great white shark sightings
A popular Massachusetts beach has implemented new safety protocols in anticipation of great white shark sightings as the summer season heats up. After a string of surprising shark sightings off Crane Beach in Ipswich last fall, The Trustees of Reservations announced Tuesday the implementation of several measures focused on visitor and staff safety. 'The safety of our visitors and staff is our top priority,' Trustees Property Director Chris Moore said in a statement. 'We have worked diligently in preparation for the summer beach season with local public safety officials, marine biologists, and state wildlife officials to put in place staff training and several safety protocols in the event sharks return to Crane Beach this year.' In September 2024, multiple juvenile great whites were sighted close to the beach after officials say an oceanic upwelling caused water temperatures to drop 10 degrees, forcing bait fish to move closer to shore. The water was subsequently closed to swimmers for weeks as sharks were seen lurking close to shore near the bait fish. As part of the enhanced beach protocols, the Ipswich Harbormaster will perform routine patrols of the Crane Beach swim zone during the summer season, according to The Trustees. Crane Beach's lifeguard staff will also routinely surveil the marked swim zone from their elevated lifeguard chairs and with watercraft. If a shark sighting is suspected, The Trustees said visitors will be asked to exit the water until officials can determine if a shark is present. If a sighting is confirmed, it will prompt a water closure to allow for a thorough patrol of the swimming area. Crane Beach staff, along with Ipswich Police Department and marine biologists, will be installing at least one shark detection buoy in the area where sharks were confirmed to be present in 2024. Also new in 2025, all operational updates, including parking, safety, and greenheads, will be posted to the Crane Beach voicemail in real time and not on X. Guests can call 978-356-4354 to listen to a recorded message. RELATED: Shark tracker: See where great whites are lurking before hitting the beach Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
The Independent
05-07-2025
- The Independent
Shark sightings force some New York beaches to close on busy July 4 weekend
Shark sightings forced some New York beaches to close on the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend. Millions of Americans celebrated Independence Day on Friday, with many opting to hang out at the beach. New Yorkers who wanted to take advantage of the sunny weather may have been disappointed to find Rockaway Beach in Queens was closed after shark sightings. New York City Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry alerted the closures in an X post Friday afternoon. Daughtry said two sharks were spotted near Beach 32nd Street shortly before 11:30 a.m. ET. He said 'one marine animal' was also seen at Beach 144th Street and the latest sighting was at Beach 30th Street. 'These sightings were very close to beachgoers. But thanks to drone tech, lifeguards, and the dedicated professionals at [NYC Emergency Management], we're keeping everyone safe as they enjoy the holiday.' Beach 30th Street was only closed for an hour on Friday, according to Daughtry. New York takes shark monitoring seriously. Lifeguards continuously patrol the water and beach police and staff use drones to spot 'dangerous marine life,' such as sharks, and large schools of fish that may attract them, according to a recent press release from Governor Kathy Hochul 's office. The Empire State has increased its surveillance capabilities this summer, which includes six new drones, marking 28 drones total, and training eight new drone operators for a total of 48 operators. New York also gave beach police one large 'enterprise drone' with thermal imaging, among other capabilities. The drone can also drop personal flotation devices into the water in emergencies. 'Our Long Island State Park beaches are cherished by New Yorkers and visitors alike — perfect places to get offline, get outside and enjoy the outdoors,' Hochul said in Wednesday's release. She continued: 'We are continuing to strengthen our shark surveillance capabilities and safety tactics at these beaches to help protect these treasured summertime traditions. I encourage all beachgoers to stay safe, stay alert and always follow the direction of lifeguards and park staff.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Extraordinary' situation along South Australia coastline, Sussan Ley admits significant 'failure', man attacked by dingo
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Monday. Authorities are ramping up efforts to protect the public following a surge in shark sightings along South Australia's coastline. It comes after a man was bitten by a shark south of Adelaide last week, with a toxic algal bloom believed to be forcing sharks into new areas. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has admitted the Liberal Party needs a complete rebuild of its approach. In an opinion piece for The Australian, Ley said the party has its work cut out after "failing to meet the expectations of the Australian community". Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. While plenty of homeowners are hopeful of a fair few more rate cuts this year, one economist is predicting the window that they could happen is quickly closing. And Judo Bank chief economic advisor Warren Hogan believes rate hikes are now back in the equation. 'We will probably get one [cut] this week but in the absence of a tariff-induced global shock, we are unlikely to see any more cuts after that,' Hogan wrote in an opinion piece for The Australian Financial Review. 'Indeed, the natural rhythm of the economic cycle suggests rate increases could be back in play before too long.' Take a look below to see how interest rates have fared since they began rising from a record-low 0.1 per cent. The mothers of 19-year-old best friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles have opened up about their anger and sense of frustration six months after the Laos poisoning horror that took their daughters' lives. Bianca and Holly died after consumed vodka and whiskey laced with deadly methanol at the Nana backpacker hostel in the town of Vang Vieng in Laos in November last year. Four other foreign tourists died in the mass poisoning event and Laotian authorities are reportedly preparing charges for up to 13 people connected to the calamity. But in an interview with 60 minutes on Sunday night, mums Michelle Jones and Sam Bowles slammed the proposed charges as 'insulting'. 'Pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting,' Ms Bowles said. 'We know that there's no murder or manslaughter charges, which we feel there should be.' Ms Jones said the parents were 'pretty furious about it.' The proposed charges include the elimination of evidence, violation of food and health security and unlawful business operations, 60 Minutes reports. - NewsWire There's a warning to visitors on K'gari after a man was attacked by a dingo in the shallows. The man was fishing alone and was attacked from behind while knee-deep in water, with the dingo wading into the water. The man was wearing a fishing bag with a fish inside, and authorities believe the smell of the fish lured the dingo to the man. "The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) has received recent reports that dingoes have been loitering around fishers on the island in hope of getting a free feed," DETSI said in a statement. "Dingoes are known to steal fish and bait from anywhere they can scavenge, including vehicles, berley bags, shallow waters and straight off a fisher's line." The man suffered puncture wounds to the back of his leg, needing first aid treatment. Ranger Dan Novak advised fishermen to be accompanied to deter dingos, and warned it was an offence to leave bait lying around. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says the Liberal Party has a lot of work to do after what was a disastrous federal election. "The reality is in recent elections we have failed to meet the expectations of the Australian community," she wrote in an opinion piece for The Australian. "We need to understand what sort of team we are, and we need to come up with a new agenda to take to the Australian people." Ley, who was her predecessor Peter Dutton's deputy, says she will get to the bottom of why the party failed so badly, vowing to listen to Australians in the process. However while she promised a new agenda, she stressed the party's values are not negotiable. Authorities in South Australia are facing an unprecedented situation along the coastline in and around Adelaide, with shark patrols now to be extended in a bid to minimise the risk posed to the public. State Environment Minister Susan Close said the spike in shark sightings is an "extraordinary event". "We have never seen anything like it," she told ABC News Breakfast. Another shark was spotted on Sunday at the famous Noarlunga Jetty, the same location where a swimmer was bitten on Thursday. An "enormous" toxic algal bloom is forcing sharks to "turn up in places we wouldn't normally expect", Close said. "Because it's been unseasonably warm for so long, we have seen more people down by the beach wanting to go for a swim and that's why we have decided to increase the shark patrol for a little longer-than-normal. "It's now going to be the longest we have ever had one because we're concerned that people might not realise that there's a threat out there." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. While plenty of homeowners are hopeful of a fair few more rate cuts this year, one economist is predicting the window that they could happen is quickly closing. And Judo Bank chief economic advisor Warren Hogan believes rate hikes are now back in the equation. 'We will probably get one [cut] this week but in the absence of a tariff-induced global shock, we are unlikely to see any more cuts after that,' Hogan wrote in an opinion piece for The Australian Financial Review. 'Indeed, the natural rhythm of the economic cycle suggests rate increases could be back in play before too long.' Take a look below to see how interest rates have fared since they began rising from a record-low 0.1 per cent. The mothers of 19-year-old best friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles have opened up about their anger and sense of frustration six months after the Laos poisoning horror that took their daughters' lives. Bianca and Holly died after consumed vodka and whiskey laced with deadly methanol at the Nana backpacker hostel in the town of Vang Vieng in Laos in November last year. Four other foreign tourists died in the mass poisoning event and Laotian authorities are reportedly preparing charges for up to 13 people connected to the calamity. But in an interview with 60 minutes on Sunday night, mums Michelle Jones and Sam Bowles slammed the proposed charges as 'insulting'. 'Pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting,' Ms Bowles said. 'We know that there's no murder or manslaughter charges, which we feel there should be.' Ms Jones said the parents were 'pretty furious about it.' The proposed charges include the elimination of evidence, violation of food and health security and unlawful business operations, 60 Minutes reports. - NewsWire There's a warning to visitors on K'gari after a man was attacked by a dingo in the shallows. The man was fishing alone and was attacked from behind while knee-deep in water, with the dingo wading into the water. The man was wearing a fishing bag with a fish inside, and authorities believe the smell of the fish lured the dingo to the man. "The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) has received recent reports that dingoes have been loitering around fishers on the island in hope of getting a free feed," DETSI said in a statement. "Dingoes are known to steal fish and bait from anywhere they can scavenge, including vehicles, berley bags, shallow waters and straight off a fisher's line." The man suffered puncture wounds to the back of his leg, needing first aid treatment. Ranger Dan Novak advised fishermen to be accompanied to deter dingos, and warned it was an offence to leave bait lying around. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says the Liberal Party has a lot of work to do after what was a disastrous federal election. "The reality is in recent elections we have failed to meet the expectations of the Australian community," she wrote in an opinion piece for The Australian. "We need to understand what sort of team we are, and we need to come up with a new agenda to take to the Australian people." Ley, who was her predecessor Peter Dutton's deputy, says she will get to the bottom of why the party failed so badly, vowing to listen to Australians in the process. However while she promised a new agenda, she stressed the party's values are not negotiable. Authorities in South Australia are facing an unprecedented situation along the coastline in and around Adelaide, with shark patrols now to be extended in a bid to minimise the risk posed to the public. State Environment Minister Susan Close said the spike in shark sightings is an "extraordinary event". "We have never seen anything like it," she told ABC News Breakfast. Another shark was spotted on Sunday at the famous Noarlunga Jetty, the same location where a swimmer was bitten on Thursday. An "enormous" toxic algal bloom is forcing sharks to "turn up in places we wouldn't normally expect", Close said. "Because it's been unseasonably warm for so long, we have seen more people down by the beach wanting to go for a swim and that's why we have decided to increase the shark patrol for a little longer-than-normal. "It's now going to be the longest we have ever had one because we're concerned that people might not realise that there's a threat out there."
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Are surging shark sightings and strandings linked to South Australia's toxic algal bloom?
Shark sightings and strandings are unusually high across South Australia amid a prolonged toxic algal bloom, but scientists say it's too soon to link to recent shark incidents. On Thursday, a swimmer was bitten by a shark at Port Noarlunga beach, 30km south of Adelaide's CBD, one of a rising number of reported sharks swimming closer to shore – with some washing up dead on beaches. On Tuesday angel sharks were reported dead on the Yorke peninsula, adding to the 200-plus marine species reported killed by a toxic algal bloom that has affected large parts of SA's coastline since March. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Scientists say it has been driven by a marine heatwave with water temperatures up to 2C hotter than usual. Such events have become more frequent and intense due to climate change, causing widespread damage to ecosystems and fish communities In May, a 3-metre-long white shark died on Adelaide's Henley Beach, after locals found it struggling in shallow water. It was the fourth reported white shark stranding, with others found at Port Willunga, Ardrossan and Aldinga. Charlie Huveneers, a professor at Flinders University and expert in shark ecology and their interactions with humans, said it was likely that the unusually high number of shark observations and stranding events was connected to biotoxins from the recent algal bloom. 'We will only be able to confirm this and understand which toxin might have led to these strandings once toxicology results come back,' he said. But Huveneers warned that while it might be tempting to try to link increased activity to the risk of shark bites, tracking data showed white sharks occurred along the metropolitan coast throughout the year, regardless of algal blooms. South Australia's Department of Primary Industries said while it was examining sharks and other marine life affected by the algal bloom, there was 'no scientific evidence before the government to indicate that the algal bloom might make a shark attack more likely'. 'Shark encounters have always been a small but real risk for anyone entering the ocean anywhere in the world,' a spokesperson for the department said. 'It is not uncommon for white sharks to utilise coastal waters in search of food, in particular juvenile and sub-adult white sharks who are primarily fish eaters. They use such near-shore areas to hunt for small sharks, rays and skates along with larger schooling fish species including salmon, mullet and snapper.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion In 2025, the state's marine environment has been affected by a combination of high water temperatures, lack of rain and the prolonged toxic algal bloom. 'There's been a lot of things going on, and we don't know currently what impacts that can have on things like shark behaviour,' said Dr Briana Le Busque, University of South Australia's environmental science program director. More broadly, she said, people were seeing first-hand how species were affected by these major ecosystem changes. 'It's being talked about a lot,' she said. Le Busque, a conservation psychologist who researches people's perceptions of sharks, said there had been a noticeable change in public attitudes as these events played out. When the white shark washed up on Henley beach, the response from the public was noticeably different, she said. There was still fear, but also concern for the animal. 'Even before it washed up – it was sort of in the shallows – we saw lots of the general population trying to help a species that, a lot of the time, people don't necessarily like.' The shark bite on Thursday followed a fatal shark incident in January on the state's west coast. While such incidents were 'absolutely horrible', Le Busque said, the number that have occurred in 2025 was currently aligned to the annual average.
