Dangerous and unpredictable Bull sharks are staying longer and longer off Sydney's beaches

Bull sharks are considered dangerous and unpredictable. Sydney fans need to watch out - because the predatory fish are staying longer in the region every year. Will they soon stop moving?

DPA

12.07.2025, 20:37

12.07.2025, 21:47

dpa

Dangerous bull sharks are spending more and more time around Sydney Harbour and beaches due to rising sea temperatures - posing an increasing threat to swimmers and surfers in the region. A study by James Cook University in Queensland found that the predatory fish spend around 15 days more off the coast of Australia's east coast metropolis in summer than they did 15 years ago.

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Until a few years ago, sharks regularly migrated north in the Australian winter to spend several months in warmer climes in tropical Queensland. They usually left New South Wales in April or May and only returned in November.

"Our results show that over a period of 15 years, the sharks have left their summer quarters off the coast of Sydney in Australia an average of one day later per year," the study states. In addition, it has been observed for the first time in recent years that bull sharks have sometimes returned to the region as early as October. For their study, the researchers led by Nicolas Lubitz tracked the migration behavior of 92 tagged bull sharks over a period of 15 years.

Will bull sharks soon stay all year round?

"The coast of New South Wales is considered a hotspot of climate change. It has one of the fastest warming rates of any marine region in the world," the experts report. If the trend continues, "bull sharks could be present in the waters off Sydney all year round in a few decades", explains lead author Lubitz.

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Bull sharks - like white sharks and tiger sharks - are considered one of the most dangerous shark species in the world. They are around two and a half meters long and are classified as extremely aggressive and unpredictable.

Several recent attacks

It was only in March that a woman was attacked by a shark south of Sydney and seriously injured in the leg. According to eyewitnesses, bull sharks had previously been spotted in the region. In January 2024, a woman was also seriously injured in the leg while swimming near the shore in Sydney Harbour - probably also by a bull shark.

Sydney is Australia's most populous city and popular with tourists from all over the world. However, the likelihood of being bitten by a shark in Australia or elsewhere is generally very low, emphasizes Lubitz. However, people need to be aware of the increasing presence of bull sharks in the region.

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