Totesport has cut the odds of the great white, or white pointer, arriving off the South Coast during 2007 to just 25-1. A company representative said that, after taking expert advice, Totesport was left with the impression that visits by great whites are a clear possibility.
Claims of sightings have already been made, but it will take clear evidence, probably photographic or, ultimately, a carcass caught accidentally or washed ashore, to prove the point.
A warm-blooded animal, the great white is happiest in temperate seas. Its favourite diet is blubber-rich seals, and it can also take by surprise dolphins, porpoises, large fish and seabirds.
Noted great white populations exist off Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and California. Following a statute due in NZ this April, the great white will be protected by law in all these countries. A clearly identifiable clan is known also to have evolved in the Mediterranean.
Some marine biologists marvel at the fact that the creature has not already become a confirmed visitor to Britain, with waters warmed by the Gulf Stream and, particularly up western coasts, plenty of marine mammals upon which to prey.
The shark betting is part of a climate change-related bettings scheme by Totesports, with half of its profits going to Friends of the Earth. Other bets include 2007 being BritainÂ’s hottest year on record, at 4-1 (2006 was the warmest since records began more than 300 years ago); and whether Britons will fail to enjoy a white Christmas until at least 2011, at 7-4. |
