An angler in Western Australia has caught and released a 10-foot bull shark near the site of a recent fatal shark attack on a jet skier.
Kai Boyle, 21, posted images to social media showing him posing with the “Swan River Bull Shark” he landed late Wednesday at the East Fremantle boat ramp.
After the catch, Boyle shoved the shark into the river and watched it swim away. He stated on Facebook that an earlier post had been “taken down for abuse, but why not let people know what’s in the Swan River?”
Last Saturday, Stella Berry, 16, was fatally attacked at Fremantle after jumping into the river from her jet ski. Boyle’s catch occurred about a mile from that location.
According to 9News, Boyle’s catch and a confirmed shark sighting on Thursday prompted a search for the shark. News Perth tweeted that beaches along the Swan River “are in the process of being closed.”
A teen has reeled in a monster 2.5m bull shark from the Swan River last night, just days after a fatal attack in the same area.
It comes as beaches are currently in the process of being closed along the Swan. #9News pic.twitter.com/fMa2DExYjq
— 9News Perth (@9NewsPerth) February 9, 2023
The attack on Berry was the first fatal shark attack in the river in 100 years.
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Bull sharks, found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, can be found in saltwater and freshwater.
According to the International Shark Attack File, bull sharks are responsible for at least 100 unprovoked attacks on humans, including 27 fatal attacks.
The Florida Museum states on its website:
“It is considered by many to be the most dangerous shark in the world. It’s large size, proclivity for freshwater, abundance and proximity to human populations, particularly in the tropics, makes it more of a potential threat than is either the white shark or the tiger shark.”
–Image courtesy of Kai Boyle
