As divers and such with more than a nodding familiarity with the "great" white shark, Friday's news arrived with much sadness.
Of course, it's a terrible tragedy when someone dies before their time in a terrible way.
A 66-year-old retired veterinarian, training for a triathlon, was bitten by a white shark off Solana Beach in San Diego County, USA, and died onshore. The local daily's report can be found here.
While it is noted that such attacks are extremely rare, missing is the larger context of the white shark's own fate. Like that of any other shark in the ocean these days, it has more to fear from the voracious appetites of humans.
Above shark was photographed off Isla de Guadalupe, Mexico, where annually, they are sighted by shark tour operators and sport fishers.
White sharks are a protected species, because their populations around the world are so low.
An eye-opening little ticker on the site Shark Foundation continually counts the number of sharks that are killed around the globe, mainly for their fins -- estimated at 3 every second.
"Jaws" novelist Peter Benchley noted before his passing that he could not have written his blockbuster today, as it was unrealistic. We know now that humans are not their primary prey, and we know now that humans are a greater threat to the shark species than the other way around.
The global population is threatened, as sharks are slow to reach reproductive age, and have a slow gestation period.
No small solace to the swimmer, his family and friends and the greater community of Solana Beach, but well worth noting, nonetheless.
And, oh yes, white sharks have been known to frequent Hawaiian waters, but are also thought to be rare here as well.
The most notable incident came when the foolhardy captain of a shark tour boat off Honolulu, jumped into the water with one (sans shark cage), and swam for nearly 45 minutes with a large female.
Tiger sharks appear more frequently here. They, like white sharks, are mainly ambush predators, striking from behind or below in poor visibility. Experience here is, if you face 'em head on (if you're unfortunate enough to be sharing close proximity) they generally steer clear. Attacks against scuba divers are exceedingly rare, as sharks, like most fish, tend to shy away from our noisy, odd, air bubbles.
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