Fearless diver ‘hypnotises’ deadly tiger sharks with his hands in stunning snaps – The Sun
STUNNING images show a so-called "shark whisperer" swimming with tiger sharks and seeming to control their movement using only his hands.
The pictures were taken in the waters off Tuamotu Island, an archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean.
They show Pierrick Seybald, 34, owner of MooreaMoana Tours, which offers visitors the chance to see local marine environment up close.
The sharks can be seen showing their dominance, opening their mouths in a challenge to Seybald.
Seybald is shown stroking the ferocious animals, holding their noses as they swim, and controlling and redirecting them with his hands.
One image shows him playing with a shark wearing only shorts and flippers.
While sharks are on the whole less aggressive than commonly believed, the tiger shark is one of the few species known to attack swimmers and surfers unprovoked.
HOW DEADLY IS THE TIGER SHARK?
While sharks are on the whole less aggressive than commonly believed, the tiger shark is one of the few species known to attack swimmers and surfers unprovoked.
They are one of the "Big Three" aggressive shark species, along with great white sharks and bull sharks.
This is for a number of reasons.
First, they are large and strong, capable of growing to five metres in lenagth, making them easily able to overpower a human in the water.
Second, they have sharp teeth designed to shred their prey, meaning that when they do attack, the damage they inflict can be devastating.
Third, they spend most of their time in waters where humans swim, making the chance of encountering one greater than for species that live in deeper waters.
Of 111 recorded tiger shark attacks, 31 were fatal, putting them second only to the great white in terms of how many people they have attacked and killed.
The species is notable for having the widest food spectrum of all sharks, with a range of prey that includes, crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, seasnakes, dolphins, and even smallers sharks.
It is considered a near-threatened species due to fishing and finning by humans.
Of 111 reported tiger shark attacks, 31 were fatal, making the great white shark the only species to have attacked and killed more people.
The remarkable images were captured by photographer friend Cam Grant.
Seybald's website describes him as a waterman, free diver, and spear fisherman who has spent his entire childhood and adult life in French Polynesia, and who founded his tour company to share his passion for marine life with others.
The company's mission statement reads: "As a company and community that relies on the ocean ecosystem, it is our priority to respect the ocean and all of its wonderful life.
"We pride ourselves in never forcing interactions with the wildlife, respecting ocean conditions, and giving back to the environment."
The tiger shark is a near-threatened species due to fishing and finning by humans.
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