Overview
- A humpback whale that washed ashore on Monday drew multiple large white sharks into shallow water and prompted immediate closures of City Beach, Floreat and Swanbourne.
- Heavy machinery removed the carcass to the Red Hill tip on Thursday after councils and contractors spent days trying to safely lift and clear the whale from the sand.
- The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development set a drum line and tagged a 3.7-metre great white off Floreat before releasing it, while surf life-saving groups cancelled events and training.
- Scientists warn traces of blubber and oil in sand and water can continue to attract sharks for weeks after a carcass is removed, so councils are keeping patrols and water-quality testing in place before reopening beaches.
- Local swimmers and politicians are calling for expanded shark tagging, more drone surveillance and a formal review of Western Australia’s mitigation strategy as anxiety rises after a recent fatal Sorrento attack.