Is Shark Cage Diving Safe?
Sharks are one of the most powerful and dominant species of predator in the ocean, and without a doubt the most feared. The thrill of entering the water and swimming with sharks sits atop the bucket lists of adrenaline junkies and adventurers alike.
But to enter the water with a predator in itself is a dangerous activity, and while we as people enjoy a thrill, we tend to stop at those that have a high risk of mortality.
We love to climb rocks, but very few do so without safety equipment.
So, to engage in the intoxicating, pulse-pounding experience of shark encounters -- specifically with the powerful great white shark -- we encase ourselves in metal cages. Much like a zoo, we put a barrier up between ourselves and the untamed beasts just inches from our nose.
But are these cages worth risking our lives on? Is shark cage diving safe?
What Are Shark Cages Made of?
Shark cages do not have to be made of any material in particular. Tour operators often tout ‘strong metals’ which perhaps sound safe enough to alleviate some anxiety while being vague enough to have you question exactly what metal a ‘strong metal’ is. Some operators will be more specific, stating galvanised or stainless steel. Generally speaking, most metals will protect you against sharks in the water, because they rarely do anything other than have a nibble on the corner to see what the cage actually is.
Why Do Shark Cages Have Big Openings?
The simple answer is, for you and your camera. Shark cage diving is designed to be a viewing experience. You get in the cage to go and see sharks underwater. Thick prison bars get in the way, so cages are designed with openings. The idea is that the hole - while often large - is not big enough for a shark to actually get in.
Depending on the design of the cage, this might not actually be the case, as this video shows.
Has Anyone Ever Died Cage Diving With Sharks?
No human has ever died by shark attack in a shark cage diving accident, making many believe shark cage diving is safe. The closest to death anyone has come - on record - to death during a cage dive with a shark was in 2005 when a British tourist in South Africa was attacked by a great white while in a cage. The shark tried relentlessly to bite through the bars and destroyed one of the floatation buoys keeping the cage afloat. The diver was forced to exit the cage and swim to the surface, surviving with the help of the boat captain who fended off the shark by jabbing at its head and disorientating the animal.
While no people have died cage diving with sharks from a shark attack, the practice is certainly not safe for sharks. If the video above was not distressing enough, below is an incident of a shark getting caught on the bars of a cage and bleeding to death before sinking to the ocean floor.
And while this is the only recorded death, there are plenty of other incidents captured and spoken of anecdotally of great whites get wedged in between cage bars, which presents a great risk to both animal and diver.
There are also reports of an incident where tourists drowned after a boat capsized during rough weather, causing the shark cage they were in to sink and trap them.
Has a Shark Ever Broken a Cage?
In the movie Jaws, the shark savages a cage tearing it apart. While this might seem like the work of Hollywood, the scene was actually a real shark. And this isn’t the only incident caught on camera of a shark breaking apart a cage. In this video, a shark gets stuck inside a cage. All cage divers escape unharmed, but the cage was badly damaged, as was the shark.
How Old Do You Have to Be to Cage Dive With Sharks?
The age requirements vary from country to country but often start at around 12-13 with adult supervision. Some tour operators bill shark cage diving as an activity for the entire family, inviting all generations to get involved in cage viewing.
Is Shark Cage Diving Safe?
Shark cage diving has its risks, as with anything that involves open oceans and wildlife encounters with predatory animals. However, shark cage diving is known to be very safe. Its popularity has only grown since it became commonplace at tourist destinations with great whites (mainly Australia and South Africa) in the late 90s and with no shark-related fatalities, and only a single reported incident of drowning during rough weather, there is little to be concerned about when cage diving with sharks.
When it comes to your own personal safety at least.
Shark cage diving has been proven to be physically dangerous for sharks. With a confirmed fatality and other serious injuries all caught on film, the question to ask yourself is, even if you are safe, what about the shark you’re trying to observe?
Unlike yourself, the shark cannot weigh up the risks and make an informed decision about getting involved with a cage. This is made even more difficult by the act of chumming and baiting, which plagues the shark cage diving industry.
Is Shark Cage Diving Cruel?
Xplore Our Planet has another blog discussing the ethical dilemma of shark cage diving if you’d like to explore the topic further. If you’re looking for just a brief overview though, the topic of cruelty as it relates to cage diving with sharks is a controversial one.
Shark cage diving can be safe for both people and sharks, but it requires intelligent thinking and patience on behalf of the humans running the operation. Shark incidents tend to happen when you get the animals riled up by baiting them and making them act aggressively. Drawing them closer and closer to cages until they’re a little too close.
If you don’t bait sharks, their behaviour is much calmer and sedate. The problem for tour operators is that this makes them harder to find and more difficult to get close to, which is why baiting is such a common practice.
Baiting is not ethical and not safe for sharks, and as we’ve seen it actually puts you in the greatest danger. We strongly recommend that you avoid cage diving that involves any act of chumming or baiting to attract and engage sharks. This is both for the safety of yourself and the shark.
Can You Swim with Great Whites Without a Cage?
If cage diving is safe for you but not the shark, how about getting daring and swimming outside the cage?
There are plenty of opportunities to do this with other species of sharks, but when it comes to great whites, you won’t find any tour operators offering such a service. The risks are just too high. While you can certainly do it freestyle, it’s not a service you can find, and not something we would ever recommend either.
While many will cite the safety of sharks in general, with only 5 deaths per year attributed to shark attacks, it’s never a good idea to put yourself in the water with a predator as veracious as a great white. Trained divers and experts know how to read behaviours and swim with these animals safely, but unless you’re one of these people, you’ll be better off sticking to a cage.
If you don’t like the idea of cage diving given the risks it involves for sharks, then our only advice is that you locate tours that offer glass-bottom boats, or underwater viewing areas, that don’t require a cage to see sharks. You can also swim freely with many other species of powerful and awe-inspiring sharks without the risks of encountering a great white. Our guide to swimming with sharks covers all you need to know.
That, or you just stick to watching sharks on David Attenborough documentaries.
