Orca

by Richard Peirce

Great White sharks, attracted by an offshore seal colony, have brought success to the adjacent fishing village of Gansbaai along the southern African coast. A flourishing shark cage diving industry has sprung up, bringing jobs and money, and so benefiting almost the entire community. Tourists come from far and near to experience the thrill of a real-life brush with the legendary ‘Jaws’. Shark Town, as it has become known, is booming. Then one day, the sharks disappear. Slowly at first, but with gathering momentum, the word cage diving off Gansbaai can no longer promise the thrill of an encounter. The crowds thin, the boats remain at their moorings, and the once bustling community waits as their livelihoods tail off. Entrepreneurs and scientists alike are baffled. But it’s not long before shark carcasses start washing up on the beaches. These, together with some coincidental sightings of another apex predator in the vicinity, are the first leads to the possible causes and culprits.Against the clamour and thrill of the cage-diving season in full swing, Richard Peirce visits the unfolding drama and explores what’s behind these strange events. Sales Topical subject, widely reported in the press; jaws-style account, but based on true events; vividly told, with colour photographs throughout; dramatically portrays the epic contest between apex predators; shark cage diving attracts visitors from around the world

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2019

Reviews

[Nerine Dorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who's local to the False Bay coastline will no doubt have a passing familiarity with our local shark cage diving industry that's a huge tourist attraction. In Orca, Richard Peirce, takes a deep dive into the shark cage diving community of Gansbaai in particular, and gives us a glimpse into the complex, interlocking of community and nature, and the difficulties a community faces when they rely heavily on a natural resource that is increasingly under environmental pressure.

The great white sharks of False Bay are known for their population density and also their habit of breaching, when hunting their prey of Cape fur seals. This understandably has resulted in many exciting photographic opportunities in addition to the chance for visitors to get up close and personal in the cages that are submerged at the spots sharks often frequent.

Sleepy little seaside towns like Gansbaai have, over the years, been transformed into mini tourist meccas, with many local operators launching several shark-viewing trips a day. At least that was until the majestic great white sharks vanished. Even more disquieting were the carcasses of mature sharks washing up on beaches in the region. What could be killing the sharks?

Peirce pieces together the mystery, relating how a pair of roving orcas, named Port and Starboard for how their dorsal fins have flopped over, have developed a somewhat grisly taste for great white sharks – particularly their livers – and how they periodically return to prey on a supposedly apex predator.

Naturally, when the great whites vanish, this has a catastrophic effect on the community, which has consequently adapted to these 'droughts'. Fortunately, there are species of shark that have saved the day, for instance the smaller bronze whaler sharks, and tour operators have looked at diversifying the activities that they offer to make up for the times when the great whites are MIA.

What Peirce highlights is the fragility of our ecosystems, and especially our oceans, which are under so much pressure. Is this new behaviour from the orcas? How have humans had an impact on our environment? While there is no convenient closure to this book, it does serve as a cautionary tale for those of us who live close to the ocean and those who rely on it for a livelihood.

[Miles Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orca plunges readers into the heart of Shark Town - my home. Richard Peirce's meticulous research shines through every page. At the same time, he manages to tell the story effortlessly in his mellow style. Peirce harbours a soft spot for nature conservation, which is clear by his numerous works devoted to it.

The drama begins in 2016 in the sleepy village of Gansbaai, famous for its Great White sharks. The local economy sprouted around the sharks and the tourists they brought. When the apex predators disappeared without a trace in January, the town and its inhabitants trembled. A new menace threatened not only the sharks, but an entire way of life. Scientists set out to reveal the culprits, a pair of killer whales named Port and Starboard.

It's short, it's easy to read, but it carries a message. Who is really responsible for the sharks dwindling chances for survival? Who really sits at the top of the food chain? Anyone with an interest in the sea and its wonders should find a day to relax with Orca.

[George Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book. Really mixes the ecological impact with the human impact into one seamless flow. Very accessible, can be enjoyed by the Elasmophile (or should say Selachiphile) and the layman alike. Great read.

[Sidney · Rating 1 out of 5]

He should have called this Great White Sharks. Most of the book is spent complaining about how the shark watching industry suffered after an orca ate a great white. The sharks disappeared from that area and the local shark watching industry suffered. They blame orcas, who don't hurt people in favor of the great white, who will treat us as an afternoon snack. You have to wait til chapter 13 for him to really start talking about orcas. And after that it's back to the sharks.

This was not what I was expecting nor wanted when I chose to read this.