Shark attack victor coppleson national library of australia. Coppleson raised the theory of the rogue shark in his pioneering study on. In 1962, the first serious look into rogue sharks came in the form of a book by sydney coppelson called shark attacks. While such measurements are common now, not much was known about sharks at the time. The attacks are also briefly referenced in benchleys novel white shark 1994. Although dr coppleson s theory has since been refitted, the idea of a rogue shark remains firmly planted in popular belief even today and is a common term favoured by the media. Why everything you know about rogue sharks is a lie. Jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 wikimili, the best.
The fisheries departments decision to hunt a great white shark after a united states diver was killed off the west australian coast has set a precedent for governmentendorsed action over. In the 1930s, collier said, australian scientist sir victor coppleson promoted the rogue shark theory, claiming that certain sharks turn to humans for an easytocatch food source. Jul 12, 2012 coppleson published what neff describes as the authoritative journal article of its day on sharks biting humans. Its terrific, loaded with sharkattack stories from all over the world, rogue shark theory included. In an article published in the medical journal of australia, coppleson wrote.
Doubleday editor tom congdon had read some of benchleys articles and invited him to lunch to discuss some ideas for books. According to bruce, the likelihood of a rogue shark being involved in. Dr klimleys research novel was quite good the secret life of sharks is based on the research he had done on hammerheads and white sharks in the early 90s around the sea of cortez and the farallon islands, and a lot of his work was pivotal in clearing up many of the misrepresentations of sharks as mindless feeding machines that had been painted so well by hollywood and the media. He is currently studying sharkbite incidents and the impact of shark conservation policy in the usa, australia and south africa. Using data from 281 shark attacks in australia and from shark attacks around the world on swimmers, surfers, skin divers, and ship wreck survivors, coppelson made a very convincing case for rogue shark theory. In 1950, australian surgeon victor coppleson came up with the rogue shark theory, which stated that the only sharks that attack people are those that have developed a. Although victor coppleson created a somewhat plausible animal that prefers human flesh, after. He writes of the cruising shark, of the laws and timetables the sharks keep, and of the slight risk of attack. Richard ellis, richard fernicola, and michael capuzzo all suggest that the 1916 jersey shore attacks, coppleson s rogue shark theory, and the exploits. A rogue shark, if the theory is correct, he wrote, and the evidence appears to prove it to the hilt like the maneating tiger, is a killer which, having experienced the deadly game sport of killing or mauling a human, goes in search of similar game. This theory reflects the basis for the book and movie jaws. The incidents occurred during a deadly summer heat wave and polio epidemic in the united states that drove thousands of people to the seaside resorts of the jersey shore. Science, policy, and the public discourse of shark attack. In 1933, coppleson coined the term rogue shark in the medical journal of australia.
Neff points out that shark accident was the general term used in australia to describe a shark biting a human, prior to coppleson publishing his findings in. Calling the individual a rogue shark, the theory claims that there are sharks. Jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 chondrichthyes wiki. Coppleson s rogue shark theory, and the exploits of new york fisherman frank mundus inspired benchley. Yet in 1933, surgeon sir victor coppleson said in the medical journal of. It tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon a small resort town, and the voyage of three men to kill it. Victor coppleson s theory in the 1940s of the rogue shark, i just had to get this book. Shark attack theories taronga conservation society. Sydney wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. Dr coppleson,proves the theory of the rogue sharka man eater who, having once tasted human blood, waits for further victims. Since 1916, scholars have debated which shark species was responsible and the number of animals involved, with the great white shark and the bull shark most frequently being blamed. The wellknown fictional book jaws written by peter benchley and the. Patterns of white shark attacks on humans elasmo research.
Victors research pioneered the rogue shark theory, a subject coppleson was interviewed on by the discovery channel. For the most part it is an animal that lives in a group that is now living on their own. His research was extensive and he came to the conclusion that the rogue shark theory does apply. In a highly influential book published in 1962, coppleson collected and analyzed. Ted sydney the myth of the rogue shark the dorsal fin. A blue shark and sandbar shark were also caught as the suspected shark. While some of the stories are dated, if you love sharks like i do, this book will not. Nov 25, 2010 but the rogue shark concept is almost universally dismissed in contemporary scientific thought.
While benchley states mundus was an inspiration for quint, he has denied the book was inspired by attacks off new jersey in 1916. A animal, be it shark or not becomes a rogue when they break away from living with others of their kind. A rogue shark, if the theory is correct, and evidence appears to prove it to the hilt like the maneating tiger. According to bruce, the likelihood of a rogue shark being involved in multiple attacks is highly unlikely. Jaws novel project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Nov 23, 2010 but the rogue shark concept is almost universally dismissed in contemporary scientific thought. Coppleson was the brain behind the rogue shark theorythe lone shark who prefers to go after people. Oct 29, 2007 suggest that the 1916 jersey shore attacks, coppleson s rogue shark theory, and the exploits of new york fisherman frank mundus inspired benchley. Its terrific, loaded with sharkattack stories from all over the world, rogue. Aug 08, 2009 a animal, be it shark or not becomes a rogue when they break away from living with others of their kind.
Coppleson observed a beach might be free of shark attacks for decades. After watching last summers shark week and learning of dr. Covers the biology of the sharks, various species, and many statistics regarding population and distribution, and attacks. Victor copplesons theory in the 1940s of the rogue shark, i just had to get this book. Although victor coppleson created a somewhat plausible animal that prefers human flesh, after closer examination, such a shark can not exist. Oct 24, 2011 bruce points out that while white shark attacks are extremely tragic and are high profile, they are still extremely rare. Copplesons original book, but all the information is there, complete with diagrams, pictures and charts. When we attended christopher neffs talk at the save our seas foundation, he spoke about victor coppleson, an australian surgeon also mentioned in this book who crusaded to change the thenpopular phrase shark incident or shark accident to shark attack, publishing a book on the subject in 1962. Coppleson came to his conclusion by checking the dates and locations of shark attacks.
The jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 were a series of shark attacks along the coast of new jersey, in the united states, between july 1 and 12, 1916, in which four people were killed and one injured. Bruce addresses the issues of the rogue shark theory, as well as the practice of culling. John west, who collates statistics for sydneys taronga zoos australian shark attack file, rejects the notion of rogue sharks that specifically target humans. The horrifying prospect of being torn asunder and eaten by a swift, razortoothed wild animal in an environment where we cannot see, breathe, call for help, or escape taps into our deepest, darkest, and most atavistic fears. Richard ellis, richard fernicola, and michael capuzzo all suggest that the 1916 jersey shore attacks, coppleson s rogue shark theory, and the exploits of new york fisherman frank mundus inspired benchley. Why everything you know about rogue sharks is a lie forbes. In 1958, he published a book called shark attacks, filled with data from. The attacks are also briefly referred to in benchleys novel white shark. Benchley was inspired by several reallife incidents, such as the jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 that included five attacks over 12 days, four of which resulted in death. Aug 03, 2011 while such measurements are common now, not much was known about sharks at the time. Coppleson s original book, but all the information is there, complete with diagrams, pictures and charts. He points out that coppleson s rogue shark theory, while credible at the time, is discredited. There were very few books on the subject published at this time and dr coppleson had to resort to primary research, interviewing victims and collecting statistics and coroner reports. Jan 23, 20 the rogue shark theory appeared to provide a scientific basis for malicious shark behavior, from which there could be only one outcome in humanshark interactions.
The jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 were a series of shark attacks along the coast of new jersey between july 1 and july 12, 1916, in which four people were killed and one injured. Later data also thoroughly discredited the rogue shark theory as a viable. He noted that only jaws itself, along with the book that originally inspired it, 1958s shark attack by victor coppleson, supports the rogue shark theory, which posits that a great white that has bitten a human is more likely to attack again. It was in fact these shark bite incidents that inspired the novel jaws, which was later made into a horrific movie, tapping into our primal human instinct of fear. In fact, jaws was inspired largely by the 1958 book called shark attack by victor coppleson, the theorist behind this and many other rogue animal myths.
When peter benchley wrote the novel jaws in 1974, about a rogue shark. The jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 were a series of shark attacks along the coast of new jersey, in the united states, between july 1 and july 12, 1916, in which four people were killed and one injured. The great atlantic comeback of the great white shark. The program left him annoyed with its suggestion the theory had been disproved.
Nov 27, 2015 the great atlantic comeback of the great white shark. But the rogue shark concept is almost universally dismissed in contemporary scientific thought. Oct 24, 2011 mr neff said shark hunts were based on the rogue shark theory, which he attributes to sydney surgeon sir victor coppleson, who wrote the 1958 book, shark attacks. In 1958, he published a book called shark attacks, filled with data from 281 shark bites in australia to make the case for the rogue shark theory. Mr neff said shark hunts were based on the rogue shark theory, which he attributes to sydney surgeon sir victor coppleson, who wrote the 1958 book, shark attacks. There was a straight line from the new jersey attacks of 1916 to coppleson s theory, but there is new data now and we need to update the rogue shark theory, he says. Jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 chondrichthyes wiki fandom. Lucas and nichols proposed that a northwardswimming rogue shark was responsible. In the 1930s, collier said, australian scientist sir victor coppleson promoted the rogue shark theory, claiming that certain sharks turn to. In an age rife with modernday perils, shark attack remains an ancient and fearsome possibility. The attacks are also briefly referred to in benchleys nove l white shark.
The theory is that rogue sharks are sharks that have chosen to attack humans, perhaps because they have a taste for human flesh. It was in fact these shark bite incidents that inspired the novel jaws. May 08, 2014 in 1950, australian surgeon victor coppleson came up with the rogue shark theory, which stated that the only sharks that attack people are those that have developed a taste for human flesh. In fact hundreds of sharks were caught on the east coast that year as a result of the shark bites. Modern analysis of shark attack data does not support the theory of a rogue shark as a viable explanation for the vast majority of shark attacks, whether clustered or not, west says. Aug 03, 2011 the theory is that rogue sharks are sharks that have chosen to attack humans, perhaps because they have a taste for human flesh. Aboriginal, torres strait islander and other first nations people are advised that this catalogue contains names, recordings and images of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive. It was actually an australian scientist, dr victor coppleson that first used the term rogue shark.
When peter benchleys book appeared, the story of a rogue shark terrorizing a seaside town. Some writers including richard ellis, richard fernicola, and michael capuzzo suggest that his inspiration also came from jersey shore shark attacks of 1916, as well as coppleson s rogue shark theory. Coppleson published what neff describes as the authoritative journal article of its day on sharks biting humans. A rogue shark, if the theory is correct, he wrote, and the evidence appears to prove it to the. Dec 26, 2014 how jaws ruined everything for great white sharks. To try to make the facts as we know them conform to the rogue shark theory is stretching sensationalism and credibility beyond reasonable limits. A rogue shark, he wrote, if the theory is correct, and evidence appears to. The jersey shore shark attacks of 1916 were a series of shark attacks along the coast of new.
Bruce points out that while white shark attacks are extremely tragic and are high profile, they are still extremely rare. Since 1916, scholars have debated which shark species was responsible and the number of animals involved, with the great white shark and the bull shark most frequently cited as the culprits. The myth of the rogue shark was based on the idea that once a. While some of the stories are dated, if you love sharks like i. Several shark experts have come forward with the theory that some sharks who kill humans somehow develop a taste for human flesh. In 1950, australian surgeon victor coppleson came up with the rogue shark theory, which stated that the only sharks that attack people are those that have developed a taste for human flesh. Dec 27, 2014 he noted that only jaws itself, along with the book that originally inspired it, 1958s shark attack by victor coppleson, supports the rogue shark theory, which posits that a great white that has bitten a human is more likely to attack again. Sydney wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further. While some of the stories are dated, if you love sharks like i do, this book will not disappoint. The rogue shark theory appeared to provide a scientific basis for malicious shark behavior, from which there could be only one outcome in humanshark interactions. Attack patterns sometimes show groups of attacks in areas where there has not been a high risk before, and often disappear from these areas just as suddenly as they appeared. Attack patterns sometimes show groups of attacks in areas where there has not been a high risk before, and often disappear from these areas just as suddenly as they appeared one such incident took place off the coast of queensland, australia. The theory of rogue sharks seemed to be a reality and.
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