Marine Dynamics divers helped make this possible by their donations to our Faces of Need sharks project!

Nyami Nyami:

A research team gathered together and went to investigate potential bull shark sightings in the Breede river (Witsands, Western Cape) from the   19th-25^th of January 2009. The team consisted of professional anglers from Big Fish Safari, a team from Marine Coastal Management, a team from the Lower Breede Conservancy and scientist Meaghen MCcord from the South African Shark Conservancy (who initiated the project), along with Alison Towner our marine biologist from Marine Dynamics.

 Fishing continued for three days and on the fourth day Hennie Parpenfuss managed to successfully hook a 'Zambi'.

The shark proceeded to tow his vessel 2.5km before being landed on a sand bank. Hennie's handling of the animal was said to have been extremely professional and with upmost care. The team were straight into action. On landing, Meaghen MCcord managed to tag, measure and genetically sample the shark. Three tags were deployed, a spaghetti, continuous and coded.

The Bull shark they caught in the Breede was in fact a record breaker: 4M LONG she was officially the largest bull shark known to science (previously measured at 3.4m).  Previously scientists never knew Bullsharks were found this far South West in Africa and the female shark was possibly pregnant suggesting a new pupping ground  in the Breede river. The shark was named Nyami Nyami, after the goddess of the Zambezi river.

Immediately after landing her, the team got to work on tracking the impressive shark with a VEMCO VR100 and hydrophone system donated by Alison Kock from Save Our Seas, Kalk bay. 'River visibility resembles that of mud in the Breede, and you have no idea when she's around the boat as you don't see a thing' says Alison Towner. I know I have seen her with my own eyes-, she is so beautiful;  it's almost more exciting and mysterious knowing she's back hidden and lurking in the river where she's doing what she knows best, hunting for fish.'

The shark was tracked continuously for 43 hours and the expedition ended. For full details you can check out Meaghen McCord's projects on the South African Shark Conservancy's website The team returned home triumphant and in awe of the splendid success.

2)Return to the Breede:Tracking Nyami Nyami

Two weeks after the expedition, Alison joined Meaghen MCcord and an array of volunteers from all over the area to continue tracking Nyami Nyami. She migrated as far as 32km up river, and took a 100lb cob (type of large fish common to the Breede) off a fishermen. Her behavioral displays were extremely fascinating, and a publication by Steve Lamberth and Meaghen MCcord will be available soon to discuss all the implications of the data obtained on Nyami and her movements.

3)Next- PAT tagging another Zambezi in the Breede River.

The team are set to return to the Breede river again! This time from the  30th-3^rd of April in hope that they can deploy a pop up archival tag (PAT) on another Bull shark. PAT tags are programmed to pop up after a set period of time, transmitting data to the Arghos satellite system. Information obtained is depth, temperature and light intensity so movements can be estimated.This cuts out all the time associated with tracking a shark actively (which can be quite labour intensive!) and allows continued tracking of movements if the shark leaves the river.