The most exciting thing you can catch in an offshore fishing trip in Singapore waters is probably a shark. But what are the chances of that happening, right?
Lots of Singaporeans straight up think our natural wildlife is boring and limited, and most probably don’t realise we even have sharks swimming in local waters.
Shark Caught on Fishing Line in Singapore Waters
A TikTok video uploaded by user “@nelnas78” showed a group of people on a fishing boat at night. In the distance, city lights, presumably Singapore’s, can be seen.
The infamous song “Baby Shark” played over the video. Please send help.
As they pulled up a fishing line to check the catch, they were shocked to see a huge shark caught on it and struggling to get free.
The shark appeared to be larger than an adult human, though the water’s refraction made it difficult to tell.
Instead of catching it, the fishermen quickly decided to let the shark go and it disappeared from view underwater.
When asked which part of Singapore this took place at, the OP replied saying it was the southern waters.
Netizens Argue Over Bull Shark or Nurse Shark Identification
Comments on TikTok initially identified the shark as a bull shark, a species known to live around Singapore coasts.
However, other netizens argued that it was instead a nurse shark, citing the fins being too long for a bull shark.
Others highlighted the dorsal fin placement since nurse sharks have dorsal fins further on the back than bull sharks.
Bull sharks are notable for being able to swim in both freshwater and saltwater. They’re known to be highly territorial and aggressive, having the third most fatal unprovoked attacks on humans.
Nurse sharks on the other hand feed on the seabed and eat small prey. They’re known for being docile to humans.
With that said, don’t be so quick to go hug them. They have the fourth highest number of bites of any shark species, mostly because divers think they’re completely gentle and intrude in their space.
Regardless of whether it was a bull or if it worked at a hospital, some Singaporeans were unnerved by the shark sighting. One said they would never go into the water again.
Wait till they find out about the crocodiles that show up too.
But fair enough, the word “shark” carries with it a connotation of a vicious super predator that devours humans like tic-tacs.
This mostly comes from the number one piece of slander in the world: Steven Spielberg’s Jaws.
In reality, although sharks definitely can and have killed people, they pale in comparison to the real killing machine: us.
In 2023, sharks killed 14 people worldwide. A 2024 estimate meanwhile states that humans kill 80 million sharks a year.
So really, it was the shark in the video that had the heart-stopping encounter.
Besides, there are more frightening sharks to worry about in Singapore.
