False Bay only for female great white sharks: research

Researchers have discovered that only female great white sharks come close to shore in False Bay, Cape Town, it was reported.

The research, led by local shark scientist Alison Kock, tracked the movements of 56 tagged white sharks of both sexes in the bay for three years, The Cape Times reported.

"It's very exciting. We never expected to find that. We've known for some time that white sharks come inshore in False Bay in spring and summer, but now we've found that it's the females that do that, and the males don't," Kock told the newspaper.

"What we don't know is where the males go. That's the big question."

According to the report, the sharks congregated in the bay around Seal Island in autumn and winter, feeding on seals.

They moved away from the island in spring and summer to take advantage of migrating fish moving inshore.

Dedicated sharkspotters keep watch around the bay to warn swimmers and surfers of sharks coming too close for comfort.

The Cape Times reported that the latest research was published online in the journal PLOS ONE.

Kock told the newspaper the finding would help improve the management of sharks.