The mauling of a swimmer at Sydney’s Coogee Beach on Saturday has triggered a reminder about a common shark myth.
While bull sharks are often drawn to murky water, most other species prefer clear, calmer conditions.
Dr Leonardo Guida, a shark expert at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, explained that bulls, whites and tigers are responsible for the majority of serious attacks.
But of these three, only bulls, prominent during the warmer months, can handle the influx of freshwater that flows into the ocean, creating murky conditions.
“They prefer those conditions, while other sharks will avoid them,” he told Yahoo News.
How white sharks hunt in clear waters
In January, after heavy rain, four people in NSW were attacked in 48 hours by bull sharks, highlighting the danger of swimming in murky conditions.
But over the weekend, the water was clear, revealing that it’s never completely safe to enter the ocean.
When it comes to hunting, white sharks benefit from clear ocean conditions.
(Getty)
A white shark is believed to be responsible for the Coogee incident, which left a 35-year-old woman in a critical condition.
Dr Guida explained that by shark standards, whites are intelligent and also highly inquisitive.
Clear conditions can actually favour their hunting methods.
“They can use their vision to detect contrasting shapes, and clearer water is obviously more conducive to sharper vision,” Dr Guida said.
“They have been known to inquire about shapes as small as a cigarette packet.”
They are also believed to use environmental conditions to hide during their approach.
“They will sometimes behave like fighter pilots in that they’ll approach their prey from the direction of the sun, so they’re basically hidden in the glare,” Dr Guida said.
Shark attacks remain rare occurrences
Shark attacks are relatively rare in Australia when compared to other dangers.
In 2025, there were five fatal shark-related incidents in Australian waters, but over the same period of time, there were 357 coastal drowning deaths and 1,314 road fatalities.
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The Coogee incident has triggered a debate over whether sharks should be culled in Australian waters.
Dr Guida has reminded swimmers that no matter what mitigation measures are taken, or what the conditions are like, there will always be a small amount of risk when swimming in the ocean.
“It’s just tragic that it’s never going to be perfect,” Dr Guida said.
“At the end of the day, we’re entering a wilderness, and a shark is a wild animal.”
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