Shark Cage Diving remains one of South Africa’s most popular visitor attractions, with travellers from across the globe heading into the waters of Gansbaai and Kleinbaai in search of the Great White Sharks that reside there year-round feasting on the huge population of Cape Fur Seals that thrive along the coastline.

A thrill-seeking adventure for those dream of getting up close and personal with Africa’s wildlife, Shark Cage Diving is every bit as exciting and nerve-wracking as you imagine it to be, but it’s only when you lower yourself into the cage in the icy cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, with nothing more than a few millimetres of wire mesh separating you from some of the sea’s most terrifying predators, that you realise just how powerful nature really is.

The Great White Shark is a magnificent creature, and while movies such as Jaws have led us all to believe that they are fearsome killing machines, the reality is very different. Great White Sharks account for less than one third of shark attacks, and in most instances, they are not fatal. In fact, shark attacks on people are so rare, you are more likely to be struck by lightning than be attacked by one, which is perhaps why Shark Cage Diving is so popular!

In 2016, 8 people were killed in shark related attacks worldwide. However, over the same period, more than 100 million (yes million!) sharks were killed by humans – and so perhaps we should be asking ourselves… who’s the predator here?!

Great White Sharks play a vital role in the oceans ecosystem, but like many of South Africa’s most enchanting wildlife, they are at risk of extinction. Hunting, pollution and fishing nets claim the lives of millions of sharks each year, and since the arrival of 2 Orcas in Western Cape, the hunters have become the hunted, with at least four sharks being killed by killer whales in just a few months.

Orcas are known to hunt sharks for their livers, which provide a rich source of nutrient rich squalene. Occasionally, the heart, testes and stomach are also eaten, but the rest is discarded and left to wash ashore. Sadly, this could encourage the Great White Sharks of South Africa to relocate, but local marine experts remain positive.

By supporting leading Shark Cage Diving companies such as Marine Dynamics in South Africa, who are heavily involved in research and conservation in the shark diving filed, we can help the Great Whites fight back. So, book that Shark Cage Diving Tour today, and let’s send the Killer Whales packing!