When Competition Breaks the Rules: Feeding Frenzy as a Trigger for Unexpected Fatal Shark Predation Bites on a Human Sea-User by Non Traumatogenic Carcharinids in the Oriental Mediterranean

The fatal shark attack on a male tourist in Hadera (Oriental Mediterranean coast) in 2025 involved several Dusky sharks (Carcharhinus obscurus), a species not considered to be traumatogenic to humans. Artificial provisioning in the area has resulted in habituation with behaviors including begging, potentially resulting in a bold shark displaying a first reflex/clumsiness bite targeting the camera held by the snorkeler, unintentionally wounding him. The sound and olfactory stimuli have likely triggered a feeding frenzy leading to multiple sharks engaging in predation bites. In this case study, extreme competition between individuals has probably overridden the non-instinctive prey nature of the human victim.