Black December

Great white shark scavenging whale carcass.

Black December refers to at least nine shark attacks on humans causing six deaths that occurred along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from December 18, 1957 to April 5, 1958.[1]

Perfect storm

In December 1957 several key factors occurred simultaneously to attract sharks to the Durban area, including: (1) whaling ships operating in the area; (2) rivers had flooded and washed livestock into the Indian Ocean and made the river deltas murky; and (3) recent resort development had increased the number of tourists swimming off the beaches.[2] Adding to the confusion was the lack of adequate shark research and the knowledge to prevent shark attacks in 1957.[2]

Attack victims

NameAgeDateSpeciesLocation Comments
Fay Jones Bester 28 1958-04-05 Unknown Uvongo Fatal attack, while surfing.[3][4]
Nicholaas Badenhorst 29 1958-04-03 Unknown Port Edward Fatal attack, arm severed above elbow, abdomen & leg bitten, while swimming.[3][5]
Derryck Garth Prinsloo 42 1958-01-04 Great white shark Scottburgh Fatal attack, mauled below waist, femoral artery severed, while standing.[3][6]
Zulu male -- 1958 Unknown MaKakatana River Fatal attack, right leg severed above knee, while fishing.[3][7]
Julia Painting 14 1957-12-30 Unknown Margate Non-fatal attack, left arm severed, torso bitten, thigh lacerated, many abrasions, while standing.[3][8]
Donald Webster 20 1957-12-26 Unknown Port Edward Non-fatal attack, lacerations on head and neck, while skindiving.[3][9]
Vernon James Berry 23 1957-12-23 Unknown Margate Fatal attack, right arm broken & stripped of flesh, left hand severed above wrist, lower abdomen, buttocks, & thigh bitten, while floating.[3][10]
Allan Green 15 1957-12-20 Unknown Uvongo Fatal attack, multiple severe injuries, while standing.[3][11]
Robert Wherley 16 1957-12-18 Unknown Karridene Non-fatal attack, left leg severed at knee, part of left thigh removed, while body surfing.[3][12]

Attempted solutions

Tourists fled the Durban area during Black December causing a devastating impact on the local economy.[13] The local authorities desperately made attempts to protect swimmers and surfers from sharks.[1] These attempts included enclosures built from wooden poles and netting; however, both were ineffective and were destroyed by the surf.[1] A South African Navy frigate dropped depth charges causing few shark fatalities and attracted many more sharks into the area that feasted on the dead fish.[1]

KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board

As a result of Black December the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board previously the Natal Sharks Board and Natal Anti-Shark Measures Board was formed in 1962.[14][15][16] The organisations mandate is to maintain shark nets and drum lines at 38 places, along 320 km of coastline off the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, to protect bathers and surfers from shark attacks.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 National Geographic: South Africa Rethinks Use of Shark Nets
  2. 1 2 IMDb: Killer Sharks: The Attacks of Black December
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Stop Shark Cage Diving
  4. ↑ GoShark: Fay Jones Bester
  5. ↑ GoShark: Nicholaas Badenhorst
  6. ↑ GoShark: Derryck Garth Prinsloo
  7. ↑ GoShark: Zulu male, Young
  8. ↑ GoShark: Julia Painting
  9. ↑ GoShark: Donald Webster
  10. ↑ GoShark: Vernon James Berry
  11. ↑ GoShark: Allan Green
  12. ↑ GoShark: Robert Wherley
  13. ↑ Gulf News: Keeping great whites at bay
  14. 1 2 "History of protection against shark attack in KZN". KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  15. ↑ "An overview of the KZN Sharks Board". KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  16. ↑ Africa Geographic: Shark nets - the real killers of the sea?


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