Jasmyn Rullo PerthNow

October 13, 2009 12:00pm




DINING OUT: A shark feasts on a whale carcass about 100m off Floreat Beach. Picture: Kerris Berrington
TWO large sharks, believed to be great whites, have been feasting on part of a whale carcass about 100m off Floreat Beach today.

Water Police said there were two sharks about 3m-4m in size but they had left the area with fat bellies.

A spokesman said there was little of the whale carcass left and their patrol boat was heading back to shore.

Surf
Life Saving WA beach services coordinator Matt Du Plessis said a crowd
of 50-100 beachgoers watched in awe as the sharks fed off the dead
whale carcass, which had been torn in two, off Perth's Floreat Beach.

He said the two sections of dismembered whale carcass had
been drifting 100-200m offshore along the coast and were headed towards
Scarborough Beach.

Floreat Beach and the dog beach between
Floreat and Scarborough have been closed and Scarborough Beach will
close if the carcass washes closer towards the area.

“A member of the public informed us they had sighted a shark feeding off part of the whale carcass,” Mr Du Plessis said.

“We closed off both Floreat beach and the dog beach.”

“We got the public out of the water.”

Mr Du Plessis said the shark was large but its species was unknown.

However great white sharks commonly attack young whales, and
have been seen devouring rotting carcasses along WA's coast many times
before.

He said he was monitoring the situation with the
Department of Fisheries and Water Police, but urged beachgoers to keep
an eye out.

“If you see any parts of the carcass, at any
beach, definitely get a hold of the Water Police straight away and stay
away from the water,” he said.

The Water Police can be contacted on 9442 8600.