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Whale carcass management on beaches : public perceptions, groundwater contamination, and shark attraction
Thesis   Open access

Whale carcass management on beaches : public perceptions, groundwater contamination, and shark attraction

James P Tucker
Southern Cross University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.89
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Abstract

Whale Carcass Shark Groundwater Contamination Management
Whale carcass management is a complex and controversial issue within coastal communities. There are public concerns that stranded and beach buried carcasses may attract sharks. Here, I determined that both floating and stranded carcasses influence the behaviour of nearby white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). However, provided certain burial conditions are met, beach buried carcasses are unlikely to attract sharks due to effective decomposition of leachate products by sands.

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