While out on a boat with some friends, an Australian man dediced to jump out into the water onto a tiger shark that was swimming nearby, feeding on a whale carcass. As soon as he hits the water, he scurries back to the boat while his friends taunt him and joke that he’s about to get eaten.
No one could blame the shark for attacking in that kind of situation, but the man was not harmed. Despite their reputations for being man-eaters, tiger sharks attack humans very rarely. However, the trauma from the man jumping on the shark likely inflicted temporary paralysis due to a phenomenon known as “tonic immobility.” While many sharks need to be flipped upside down before this occurs, tiger sharks are particularly sensitive, especially if hit near the eyes.
While the man wasn’t hurt, the well-being of the shark is not known. The actions in this video were cruel for the sake of being cruel. Please, do not abuse wildlife as a form of entertainment. Do not replicate the actions of the jackass you are about to see in this video.
Edit: there seems to be some debate as to the species of shark in the video. Various IDs have been suggested, and we have been reliably informed that this is in fact a tawny nurse shark. Either way, we do not recommend jumping on top of any species of shark.
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