Aerial video captures shark snack attack off New York beach
A group of five sharks were recently spotted swimming and hunting together off Islip's Atlantique Beach, New York. (Image credit: Duncan Weird)
ISLIP, N.Y. - A photographer recently spotted five sharks near New York's famous Fire Island beaches using teamwork to attack a school of bunker fish.
Photographer Duncan Weir recorded the feeding frenzy on Monday from above, where clear waters offered a prime view of the lunchtime feeding frenzy. According to Weir, the school of bunker fish was about 200 yards from the Atlantique Beach shore in Islip, New York.
Experts with OCEARCH say these bait fish near the coast could be tied to the recent string of shark attacks and sightings on New York and New Jersey beaches this summer. At least five shark attacks have been reported on Long Island alone this summer.
"The real increase in shark sightings is because of the return of the bunker," OCEARCH expedition Chris Fischer said.
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Bunker, or menhaden, are bait fish and swim in large schools close to the water's surface during the spring, summer and fall, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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"The way the sharks hunt menhaden is that they push them up against the beach," Fischer said. "They crowd them against the beach, and then they start to take turns darting through them to feed."
This behavior can be seen in the video captured by Weir, showing the sharks darting into the school and their tails splashing as they go in for the fatal bite.
Another drone operator recently recorded two great white sharks teaming up off the coast of Long Island to target a large school of fish.