{"id":31300,"date":"2026-06-15T01:36:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T01:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/31300\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T01:36:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T01:36:08","slug":"aussies-warned-of-dangerous-beach-myth-after-sydney-shark-attack-just-tragic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/31300\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussies warned of dangerous beach myth after Sydney shark attack: ‘Just tragic’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mauling of a swimmer at Sydney’s Coogee Beach on Saturday<\/a> has triggered a reminder about a common shark myth.<\/p>\n

While bull sharks are often drawn to murky water,<\/a> most other species prefer clear, calmer conditions.<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“They prefer those conditions, while other sharks will avoid them,” he told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

How white sharks hunt in clear waters<\/p>\n

In January, after heavy rain, four people in NSW were attacked in 48 hours by bull sharks,<\/a> highlighting the danger of swimming in murky conditions.<\/p>\n

But over the weekend, the water was clear,<\/a> revealing that it’s never completely safe to enter the ocean.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

When it comes to hunting, white sharks benefit from clear ocean conditions.<\/p>\n

(Getty)<\/p>\n

A white shark<\/a> is believed to be responsible for the Coogee incident, which left a 35-year-old woman in a critical condition.<\/p>\n

Dr Guida explained that by shark standards, whites are intelligent and also highly inquisitive.<\/p>\n

Clear conditions can actually favour their hunting methods.<\/p>\n

“They can use their vision to detect contrasting shapes, and clearer water is obviously more conducive to sharper vision,” Dr Guida said.<\/p>\n

“They have been known to inquire about shapes as small as a cigarette packet.”<\/p>\n

They are also believed to use environmental conditions to hide during their approach.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

Shark attacks remain rare occurrences<\/p>\n

Shark attacks are relatively rare in Australia when compared to other dangers.<\/p>\n

In 2025, there were five fatal shark-related incidents in Australian waters,<\/a> but over the same period of time, there were 357 coastal drowning deaths and 1,314 road fatalities.<\/p>\n

RELATED<\/p>\n

The Coogee incident has triggered a debate over whether sharks should be culled in Australian waters.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“It’s just tragic that it’s never going to be perfect,” Dr Guida said.<\/p>\n

“At the end of the day, we’re entering a wilderness, and a shark is a wild animal.”<\/p>\n

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