Sharks have more to fear from humans than humans from sharks… 100 million sharks are said to be killed annually through fishing etc, but only four to eight people are killed by sharks each year. It is unlikely that one unarmed middle-aged overweight human snorkeler will exhibit the necessary murderous intent or ability to carry it through that would warrant the shark’s warning to its mates, but better safe than sorry. Anyway it is normal behaviour in these febrile political times to raise the alarm and panic over The Other.
I thought it was the shark introducing himself as to make a grand entrance.
What bothers me the most about this comic is how much that guy looks like me at the beach.
It’s either a megaphone and the shark is calling others to the frenzy. Or it’s a water bottle like in a hamster cage intended to be the shark equivalent of a snorkle to let him breath when he goes into the beach after people. I can’t really tell.
narmitaj has it correct.
But if the shark is alerting other sealife to the presence of a dangerous human, shouldn’t it be doing it underwater? As it is, it looks like the shark is just shouting at no one.
Humans are the apex predator of the planet. I remember seeing the late Steve Irwin showing wildlife in Africa. If he crawled towards a lion, the lion looked at him with interest. But when he stood up to be recognized as a man, Leo was outta there. Of course, I still wouldn’t bet my life on wild animals being afraid of me.
“. . . I still wouldn’t bet my life on wild animals being afraid of me.”
@ bobpeters61 – Steve Irwin repeatedly bet his life on the fact that could he do any number of insane and insensitive things to dangerous animals. Sadly, he got away with it almost every single time, except for once.
P.P.S. Here’s a consolation prize from the slower typist:
Sharks like salt with their food, apparently.
…and the real enemy is Man!
I think I’d argue that the apex predator of planet Earth is the mosquito. Despite our intense interest in eradicating them, they seem to be still thriving. Unlike, say, lions, tigers, or bears.
Kilby: I’m not sure on your map whether they got the location of “convicts” wrong, or if they are deliberately playing a second level joke on South Australians, who are so much more than just half an hour behind…
(South Australia was the first non-convict European settlement in Australia, and they pride themselves on it; Adelaide always plays second fiddle to Sydney (well, third fiddle, actually, after Melbourne), so despite it being true that Sydney was founded by convicts and Adelaide by free settlers, they are nevertheless ceaselessly mocked for being a backwards backwater (their time zone is a half hour behind Sydney’s, so the jibe above), even though it is actually a very nice, well laid out city, and the fact that it is not overrun with too many people is actually a plus…)
We loved the little part of OZ we were able to visit. Bill Bryson’s book, ‘In a Sunburned Country’, is an amusing portrait of this country, albeit funnier if you’ve actually been there.
I had to look up Dannii Minogue (assuming the name on the map is a misspelling), although I correctly guessed that she was Kylie’s sister. I’m not sure what exactly she did to get a spot there.
There’s a nice song, “Come to Australia” which includes the line “You might accidentally get killed”. I have a nice version from YouTube, but I’m not sure which one; a search shows many versions.
Hee, hee, I read “Danni” as “damn”, as in both of them being a blight somewhere in that area.
More humans eat sharks than sharks eat people.
James Pollock – mosquitoes are also the number one animal killer of humans, and hold the title without any real challengers.
Mosquitoes just transport the real killers.
“Mosquitoes just transport the real killers.”
That’s felony murder.
No, it’s being an accomplice before the fact.
It isn’t either of those things.
If we pretend mosquitos can form mens rea, it is. AFAIK. IANAL, though.
Very few mosquito-mediated deaths occur in jurisdictions with felony-murder rules.
A book I just ordered, written this year . . . The mosquito: a human history of our deadliest predator, by Timothy Winegard
It seems that the shark is announcing for their safety…
Comics I Don't Understand 
Sharks have more to fear from humans than humans from sharks… 100 million sharks are said to be killed annually through fishing etc, but only four to eight people are killed by sharks each year. It is unlikely that one unarmed middle-aged overweight human snorkeler will exhibit the necessary murderous intent or ability to carry it through that would warrant the shark’s warning to its mates, but better safe than sorry. Anyway it is normal behaviour in these febrile political times to raise the alarm and panic over The Other.
I thought it was the shark introducing himself as to make a grand entrance.
What bothers me the most about this comic is how much that guy looks like me at the beach.
It’s either a megaphone and the shark is calling others to the frenzy. Or it’s a water bottle like in a hamster cage intended to be the shark equivalent of a snorkle to let him breath when he goes into the beach after people. I can’t really tell.
narmitaj has it correct.
But if the shark is alerting other sealife to the presence of a dangerous human, shouldn’t it be doing it underwater? As it is, it looks like the shark is just shouting at no one.
Humans are the apex predator of the planet. I remember seeing the late Steve Irwin showing wildlife in Africa. If he crawled towards a lion, the lion looked at him with interest. But when he stood up to be recognized as a man, Leo was outta there. Of course, I still wouldn’t bet my life on wild animals being afraid of me.
“. . . I still wouldn’t bet my life on wild animals being afraid of me.”
Sadly, Steve Irwin did, and lost the bet.
http://alldogssite.com/steveirwininmemoriam.html
@ bobpeters61 – Steve Irwin repeatedly bet his life on the fact that could he do any number of insane and insensitive things to dangerous animals. Sadly, he got away with it almost every single time, except for once.
P.P.S. Here’s a consolation prize from the slower typist:
Sharks like salt with their food, apparently.
…and the real enemy is Man!
I think I’d argue that the apex predator of planet Earth is the mosquito. Despite our intense interest in eradicating them, they seem to be still thriving. Unlike, say, lions, tigers, or bears.
That’s a classic lifeguard megaphone (without the metal loop handle). .. and by “classic”, I mean 1960s, (not to be confused with a bullhorn)
https://outlet.historicimages.com/products/nec52589
Kilby: I’m not sure on your map whether they got the location of “convicts” wrong, or if they are deliberately playing a second level joke on South Australians, who are so much more than just half an hour behind…
(South Australia was the first non-convict European settlement in Australia, and they pride themselves on it; Adelaide always plays second fiddle to Sydney (well, third fiddle, actually, after Melbourne), so despite it being true that Sydney was founded by convicts and Adelaide by free settlers, they are nevertheless ceaselessly mocked for being a backwards backwater (their time zone is a half hour behind Sydney’s, so the jibe above), even though it is actually a very nice, well laid out city, and the fact that it is not overrun with too many people is actually a plus…)
We loved the little part of OZ we were able to visit. Bill Bryson’s book, ‘In a Sunburned Country’, is an amusing portrait of this country, albeit funnier if you’ve actually been there.
I had to look up Dannii Minogue (assuming the name on the map is a misspelling), although I correctly guessed that she was Kylie’s sister. I’m not sure what exactly she did to get a spot there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dannii_Minogue
There’s a nice song, “Come to Australia” which includes the line “You might accidentally get killed”. I have a nice version from YouTube, but I’m not sure which one; a search shows many versions.
Hee, hee, I read “Danni” as “damn”, as in both of them being a blight somewhere in that area.
More humans eat sharks than sharks eat people.
James Pollock – mosquitoes are also the number one animal killer of humans, and hold the title without any real challengers.
Mosquitoes just transport the real killers.
“Mosquitoes just transport the real killers.”
That’s felony murder.
No, it’s being an accomplice before the fact.
It isn’t either of those things.
If we pretend mosquitos can form mens rea, it is. AFAIK. IANAL, though.
Very few mosquito-mediated deaths occur in jurisdictions with felony-murder rules.
A book I just ordered, written this year . . . The mosquito: a human history of our deadliest predator, by Timothy Winegard
It seems that the shark is announcing for their safety…