Vaitarna River attack: Why the bull shark is among the most dangerous animals in the world

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

A fisherman from Maharashtra’s Palghar district was attacked by a bull shark in the Vaitarna river.

Vaitarna river:

The Vaitarna River, which is close to the origin of the Godavari river, flows from the Trimbakeshwar Hills in Nashik through Palghar and drains into the Arabian Sea near Mumbai.
The Tansa is its left bank tributary and the Pinjal, Dehraja, and Surya are its right bank tributaries.
The Vaitarna is one of the most polluted rivers in India.

Bull shark:

Also known as the Zambezi shark (informally zambi) in Africa and the Lake Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua.
It is a species of requiem shark commonly found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers.
It is known for its aggressive nature, and presence mainly in warm, shallow brackish and freshwater systems including estuaries and (usually) lower reaches of rivers. This aggressive nature is a reason for its population being listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Bull sharks are euryhaline and can thrive in both salt and fresh water.
Unlike the river sharks of the genus Glyphis, bull sharks are not true freshwater sharks, despite their ability to survive in freshwater habitats.
It has the unique ability to inhabit fresh, saline, and brackish waters.
This species is known for its adaptability, having been found far upstream in several major rivers worldwide and is considered particularly dangerous to humans due to its large size, freshwater presence, and proximity to human populations.
It is often considered the most dangerous shark species.

Source: DTE