Whenever He Goes Diving, This Shark Comes To Cuddle With Him (This Has Been Going On For 7 Years)
Meet Rick Anderson, an Australian man who calls a female Port Jackson shark his friend, saying she comes to cuddle with him whenever she sees him. “I started playing with her about seven years ago when she was just a pup about 6 inches long,” Anderson told The Dodo. “I approached her carefully so as not to spook her, then began to gently pat her. Once she got used to me, I would cradle her in my hand and talk soothingly to her through my regulator.”
The man, who has been scuba diving for 27 years and runs a dive school, added: “Over the following seasons, she’d recognize me and would swim up to me for a pat and cuddle. She soon got used to me — to the point where she will swim up to me when I’m going past, and tap me on the legs until I hold my arms out for her to lay on for a cuddle.”
“Most divers seeing this for the first time can’t believe it,” he added. “I don’t feed her or any of the other sharks I play with — I basically treat them like I would a dog.”
More info: Rick’s Dive School | Facebook (h/t: thedodo)
Meet Rick Anderson, an Australian man who calls a female Port Jackson shark his friend
He says she comes to cuddle with him whenever she sees him
“I started playing with her about seven years ago when she was just a pup about 6 inches long”
“I approached her carefully so as not to spook her, then began to gently pat her”
“I would cradle her in my hand and talk soothingly to her through my regulator”
“Over the following seasons, she’d recognize me and would swim up to me for a pat and cuddle”
“She will… tap me on the legs until I hold my arms out for her to lay on for a cuddle”
“I don’t feed her or any of the other sharks I play with — I basically treat them like I would a dog”
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Share on FacebookHow special is it when a wild animal chooses to interact with us? Amazing - beautiful creature.
This is great! I just hope she doesn't approach another diver who thinks she is attacking them and harm her.
People who think sharks are mindless beasts have to see this one. I personally think sharks are seriously misunderstood members of the animal kingdom and I would be very happy if other people start to appreciate them more.
beautiful friendship. other creatures share emotions with us humans. Too bad all humans aren't as nice as this man.
Port Jackson sharks are completely harmless to humans. They crush bottom dwelling shellfish and crustaceans for their food. This bond is lovely, and also a good display of fish intelligence/memory.
I wish that the Asians would stop fishing sharks for food. Sharks will soon disappear from all the oceans if this is kept up. Real ecological disaster is on the way if there are no longer any more sharks in the seas; this will unbalance the eco systems. Also it should be an international law forbidding sharks, whales, & dolphins to be hunted for any reason. Japan not only hunts whales, but also dolphins. Supposedly for scientific reason! Well they just eat them and that is it!
Looks like he's holding a dead shark. And 3 pictures of other species.
Port Jackson sharks are harmless. There's two misleading photos in the set of sharks with teeth that are not Port Jackson's. Port Jacksons feed mainly on mollusks.
What....no video? I was looking forward it as I scrolled down thru the pictures.
That is the most awesome, beautiful, cool thing I've seen ever!!! So sweeeet!!!!
The shark photo under the caption, “I approached her carefully so as not to spook her, then began to gently pat her” actually appears to be an angel shark. The fins are more skate like. Still a lovely shark he is interacting with, but the caption implies that it is the Port Jackson shark. It must just be one of the other sharks he plays with.
So no one noticed that in one of the pics the shark is a completely different shark? It's obviously bs.
This is a very special bond between a shark & a man, beautiful !!
I know its not quite the same species, but I have a seagulls who visits me everyday and has been for long time, sometimes for food or sometimes not...very sweet friendship 😊 sorry seagull
This is what was supposed to happen when man was put in charge of the earth in Genesis. If only all humanity were like this man.
This man has such a privilege to be able to communicate with such ancient and beautiful creatures.
He says he doesn't feed her, like he would a dog...no wonder he has to play with the shark. His dogs died or ran away.
I see a effed up looking see animal... a sting ray sort of a fish and a shark... I see not cuddling shark!!
“I don’t feed her or any of the other sharks I play with — I basically treat them like I would a dog.” Would you not feed your dog?! :O
he said a dog, not his dog. most people don't make a habit out of feeding other peoples dogs, its fine to pat them usually though (dogs i mean)
Load More Replies...How special is it when a wild animal chooses to interact with us? Amazing - beautiful creature.
This is great! I just hope she doesn't approach another diver who thinks she is attacking them and harm her.
People who think sharks are mindless beasts have to see this one. I personally think sharks are seriously misunderstood members of the animal kingdom and I would be very happy if other people start to appreciate them more.
beautiful friendship. other creatures share emotions with us humans. Too bad all humans aren't as nice as this man.
Port Jackson sharks are completely harmless to humans. They crush bottom dwelling shellfish and crustaceans for their food. This bond is lovely, and also a good display of fish intelligence/memory.
I wish that the Asians would stop fishing sharks for food. Sharks will soon disappear from all the oceans if this is kept up. Real ecological disaster is on the way if there are no longer any more sharks in the seas; this will unbalance the eco systems. Also it should be an international law forbidding sharks, whales, & dolphins to be hunted for any reason. Japan not only hunts whales, but also dolphins. Supposedly for scientific reason! Well they just eat them and that is it!
Looks like he's holding a dead shark. And 3 pictures of other species.
Port Jackson sharks are harmless. There's two misleading photos in the set of sharks with teeth that are not Port Jackson's. Port Jacksons feed mainly on mollusks.
What....no video? I was looking forward it as I scrolled down thru the pictures.
That is the most awesome, beautiful, cool thing I've seen ever!!! So sweeeet!!!!
The shark photo under the caption, “I approached her carefully so as not to spook her, then began to gently pat her” actually appears to be an angel shark. The fins are more skate like. Still a lovely shark he is interacting with, but the caption implies that it is the Port Jackson shark. It must just be one of the other sharks he plays with.
So no one noticed that in one of the pics the shark is a completely different shark? It's obviously bs.
This is a very special bond between a shark & a man, beautiful !!
I know its not quite the same species, but I have a seagulls who visits me everyday and has been for long time, sometimes for food or sometimes not...very sweet friendship 😊 sorry seagull
This is what was supposed to happen when man was put in charge of the earth in Genesis. If only all humanity were like this man.
This man has such a privilege to be able to communicate with such ancient and beautiful creatures.
He says he doesn't feed her, like he would a dog...no wonder he has to play with the shark. His dogs died or ran away.
I see a effed up looking see animal... a sting ray sort of a fish and a shark... I see not cuddling shark!!
“I don’t feed her or any of the other sharks I play with — I basically treat them like I would a dog.” Would you not feed your dog?! :O
he said a dog, not his dog. most people don't make a habit out of feeding other peoples dogs, its fine to pat them usually though (dogs i mean)
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