Abstract
Effects of environmental factors on frequency and success rate of 2,546 natural predatory attacks by white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, on Cape fur seals, Arctocephalus pus- illus pusillus, were studied over an 8-year period at Seal Island, South Africa. Attacks occurred primarily during winter months (June-August). Attack frequency increased significantly during northerly winds, during high tides, and within 400 m of the island, but predatory success rate decreased with proximity to the island. Attacks occurred over a depth range of 5-31 m, with sig- nificantly more occurring at depths of 26-30 m. Attack frequency and success rate increased sig- nificantly at low light levels. These results are compared with published effects of environmen- tal factors on white shark predation frequency at the Farallon Islands, California, and discussed in terms of the Predation Cycle. Suggestions for future work at this site are offered.
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