On the 28th of June a 3-metre shark was spotted near Basalt Island in Sai Kung. A WhatsApp video was subsequently shared in a WhatsApp group then widely circulated.
In the late afternoon a crew member on a boat captured a picture of the shark in Sai Kung. Swimmers were then warned not to swim outside the netted area in Sai Kung.
WWF Senior Conservation Director (Sustainable Development) Lai said that the black shark appeared in the clip usually appears alone. Similar species are commonly found in the Indian Pacific, Australia, Japan, and in Hong Kong.
In the past two months, the people of Hong Kong have discovered another shark called Scoliodon sorrakowah which is more common in Hong Kong. Generally, they will appear in a group, but they are not aggressive. Lai reminded the public that if they see a shark while swimming, they should pay attention to the direction of the shark and then slowly swim away. The shark will not actively attack people, but if it feels attacked or threatened, it will turn hostile.
The next day – on the 29th – a group of fisherman caught a 1m shark near High Island Reservoir which managed to get away before the fisherman could release the hook. The below video was widely shared.
The shark appears to be a species of reef shark – probably a grey reef shark.