Evidence of Non-Random Social Interactions between Pairs of Bait-Attracted White Sharks in Gansbaai (South Africa)

Knowledge about the social behavior of sharks is a growing research field, but not many observations are available on interactions between pairs in presence passive surface bait and mainly related to aggregations. Between 2009 2018, Gansbaai, South Africa, 415 white were sighted, 525 surface-generated identified, exhibited by 169 different sharks. The mean sighting rate was 0.91 (range 0.18–1.53) per hour. Eight patterns interaction exhibited: swim by, parallel swim, follow/give way, follow, give stand back, splash fights, piggyback. Non-random occurred when specimens approached bait, confirming that made real choice, showing dominance hierarchy during ten years data collection. Evidence non-random bait-attracted Carcharodon carcharias Gansbaai’s transient population goal this research.