Seal escapes from shark's jaws
A seal escaped from death by inches after managing to flip itself out of the jaws of a great white shark.
Published: 9:11AM BST 09 Sep 2010
A seal leaps clear of the jaws of the great white shark off Seal Island in False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa Photo: apexpredators.com/Solent News
The seal, with minor flesh wounds leaps to safety following the attack Photo: apexpredators.com/Solent News
A seal leaps clear of the jaws of the great white shark off Seal Island in False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa Photo: apexpredators.com/Solent News
Photographer Chris Fallows, 38, witnessed the Cape fur seal darted left and right in a desperate bid to evade the vicious 11-feet-long shark. At one stage the predator caught the terrified seal in its mouth but failed to get a proper grip - allowing the seal to launch itself to safety as the shark tried to get a second bite.
Miraculously, the three-feet-long seal escaped with just a minor flesh wound off Seal Island in False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. The battle lasted four minutes. Mr Fallows, who runs eco-tourism trips in the area, said such a narrow escape was rare. He said: "Incredibly the young seal is using the teeth of the great white shark as a final point of leverage to push itself out of the shark's mouth.
"Initially the seal was ambushed in a missile-style attack by the shark. "But at the last possible second the seal caught wind of the approach of the shark and attempted to take evasive action by jumping sideways. "The shark caught the seal but did not get a firm purchase and the seal literally was exhaled out of the shark's mouth as it attempted to bite down.
"The seal managed to dodge, duck and dive and evaded another strike from the shark by the narrowest of margins although it did sustain a flesh wound. "It was bitten on its right hind quarter and although obviously painful it will probably not be fatal." The shark eventually tired of the attack and the seal was able to flee back to Seal Island.
It is thought the shark is about ten years old and the seal nine months old. Mr Fallows said: "Seals get away about 50 per cent of the time, although very seldom by such narrow margins. "We had purposefully been drifting in an area known for very high predatory behaviour hoping to see the dramatic shark and seal action that the area is so famous for.
"We had been there for about two hours when this attack happened. Guests onboard our boat could not believe what they had seen. "To see such an event, where the difference between life and death is such a fine one, is very rare." Seal Island is home to 64,000 seals and approximately 15 to 25 great white sharks, depending on the time of year. The bay is also home to various whale, dolphin and bird species including penguins.
