Sharks Trying to Eat the Camera as a Snack

SHARKS TRYING TO EAT THE CAMERA AS A SNACK

WITH PIX AND VID

BY SHUK YEE TSANG

A veteran underwater photographer says sharks and crocodiles have tried to bite his cameras "thousands of times" after spending decades getting face-to-face with some of the ocean's most formidable predators.

Ken Kiefer, 57, a professional underwater photographer from Texas, USA, has logged more than 25,000 shark encounters over the years, capturing dramatic close-up images beneath the waves.

The footage and photos were taken around 30 miles offshore from Grand Bahama in the Bahamas, where sharks are drawn in by bait used during controlled shark dives.

In one clip, tiger sharks repeatedly bump into and mouth Kiefer's camera housing as they investigate the source of nearby fish scent.

According to Kiefer, the sharks are often trying to locate pieces of bait and will nudge or test objects that happen to be close to the smell.

To get the striking close-up images, Kiefer positions himself near the bait area, which sometimes results in curious sharks colliding with his camera or attempting to take a bite.

Kiefer said the encounters require constant awareness, as tiger sharks are ambush predators known for approaching from unexpected angles.

The collection also includes a light-hearted shark-feeding scene featuring diver Dave Finch wearing a unicorn helmet after losing a bet with his daughter.

Scientists monitoring the area are able to identify many of the returning tiger sharks by their markings and keep records of individuals that revisit the site, including pregnant females.

Kiefer said "I've been in over 25,000 shark encounters for sure.

"Cameras have been bit by crocs and sharks thousands of times.

"The sharks come near us because they smell the cut up fish and chum that we use to attract them.

"They aren't exactly sure where the fish parts are, so they go around bumping things that are near the smell.

"I put myself near the bait to get really close-up images. This also results in them bumping into my camera and sometimes I have to push their nose to move them in another direction.

"Many years of experience diving with predators and always being aware of 360 degrees of your surroundings. They are ambush predators, so they like to sneak up and chomp.

"The scientists have named several of the tigers that frequent this area and can identify many of them by their markings. They note which ones return over time and which are pregnant.

"Dave Finch is the unicorn, he lost a bet with his daughter and had to wear her helmet during shark feeding."

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