11 ft Tiger shark said to be involved in latest fatal attack in La Reunion

Helmut Nickel (mail), Shark Year Magazine,
17. February 2015

reunion1Local sources have released the identity of the young woman killed in a shark attack in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion last saturday ( 14. Feb 2015 ).

Twenty-two years old Talon Bishop died from ‘multiple bites’, one of which severed the femoral artery.

The tragic incident occurred while the British-born woman was swimming with her friend on Valentine’s Day near Pont Mula in l’Etang Salé. It marks the island’s sixth confirmed shark attack fatality since 2011, and the first one since July 2013 when a fishing program to cull bull and tiger sharks has been introduced ( more info here ).

The following day, about 200 people gathered at the beach to pay tribute to Talon (video).

According to information provided by the National Gendarmerie, the wounds were inflicted by a tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) with an estimated length of 3,50 metres.

Reunion authorities have launched post-attack procedures in order to catch the shark.

The participating fishermen are currently conducting targeted shark fishing operations in the immediate vicinity of the scene of the attack at l’Etang Salé. As a result, two bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) have already been caught and killed. Both specimens measured over 2 metres in length. One fisherman is quoted as saying that the area is literally “infested with sharks.”

Update:  third shark caught this afternoon- female tiger shark 1,90 m.

Reported Shark Incidents in Reunion Island from 2010 to Feb 2015:

year 2015  ( Jan-Feb ):

02/14/2015 – Talon Bishop – Reunion *** Fatal ***

year 2014 :

07/22/2014 – Vincent Rintz – Reunion

year 2013 :

10/26/2013 – Tanguy – Reunion Island

07/15/2013 – Sarah Roperth – Reunion *** Fatal ***

05/08/2013 – Stéphane Berhamel – Reunion – *** Fatal ***

year 2012 :

08/05/2012 – Fabien Bujon – Reunion Island

07/23/2012 Alexandre Rassiga – Reunion Island-***Fatal***

03/05/2012 – Gerard Itema – Reunion – No Injury

year 2011 :

11/11/2011 Jean-Paul Delaunay ( Reunion )

10/13/2011 Female ( Reunion ) *** Fatal *** scavenged

10/05/2011 Jean-Pierre Castellani (Reunion ) No Injury

09/19/2011 Mathieu Schiller ( Reunion ) *** Fatal ***

07/15/2011 Male ( Reunion ) No Injury

07/06/2011 Dussel Arnaud ( Reunion Island )

06/15/2011 Eddy Auber ( Reunion Island ) ***Fatal***

02/20/2011 Eric Dargent ( Reunion )

year 2010 :

05/03/2010 Michel Touzet ( Reunion )

5 Comments

  1. I believe it was a Pew ‘Environment’ sponsored marine park in 94′ that started this awful run of mangled survivors and dead children. Did Pew ‘donate’ money to the decision makers on Reunion Island? Was that money to big to say no to? Pew is owned by Sunoco..

    Someone correct me if im wrong..

    Glen.

    • Steven H.

      There is likely ZERO connection between the two. I have dived in many places with a spectacularly high density of large sharks, including bulls, greys, silvertips, hammerhead, tiger etc. where there was zero aggression. It is not the density of sharks. Or even the species. I have dived in other locations where there are comparatively few, but of the same above species list, and found myself constantly harrassed. And the idea that “big money” is doing something dastardly by promoting “marine parks” in a world where we are completely wrecking the biomass of our oceans is one of the most ridiculous statements it is possible to make. 

  2. Poop

    Wow, they just murdered sharks because… why? Revenge is why. Humans are stupid.

  3. Sue Harness

    Where is Elio Csnestris attack in April
    2014?

Leave a Reply