National

Bull sharks on the radar after teen's death

By AAP Newswire

Mar 15, 2023

A file photo of a bull shark — Bulls sharks are common around Australia and can live in both ocean and freshwater environments. -PR Handout Image

Bull sharks swimming through WA's Swan River will be tagged and monitored, after testing confirmed the species was involved in a teenage girl's death.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Using tags and acoustic monitoring receivers, WA authorities will be able to track the movements of bull sharks during summer and autumn, when mothers often enter rivers to give birth.

Including the species in the state's tagging program will help authorities better understand risks and improve community safety, Environment Minister Reece Whitby said.

"The Swan and Canning rivers are a recreational playground," he said.

"The expansion of the tagging program will help researchers learn more about the movements of bull sharks and build an evidence-based approach to shark mitigation in our estuaries."

Authorities confirmed the presence of bull shark DNA in an investigation into the death of 16-year-old Stella Berry last month.

Ms Berry was swimming near the Fremantle traffic bridge when she was attacked on February 4 in the first fatal shark incident in the Swan River in 100 years.

Two years ago, Perth man Cameron Wrathall was swimming in the same river when he was badly bitten on the leg by a bull shark.

Bull sharks are common in waters around Australia, and are the only species of shark that regularly inhabit freshwater.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press