The bond that exists between people and animals is fascinating. And the vast majority of them are lovely. Who else has buddies under the sea? Take a look at their incredible friendship.
Rick Anderson has been scuba diving for over three decades and has had an uncommon companion in his underwater escapades for the last seven years. The Australian diving instructor tells an interesting tale about a female Port Jackson Shark becoming his buddy. Wondering what the essence of this connection is? She comes for a snuggle every time he’s underwater in her area.
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To meet this friend, Rick Anderson has to strap on an oxygen tank, put a regulator into his mouth and dive into the ocean. As you can see from the photographs from underwater, all the trouble is worth it.
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Anderson told the Dodo “I started playing with her about seven years ago when she was just a pup about 6 inches long.”
“I approached her carefully so as not to spook her, then began to gently pat her. Once she got used to me, I would cradle her in my hand and talk soothingly to her through my regulator.”
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He added, “Over the following seasons, she’d recognize me and would swim up to me for a pat and cuddle. She soon got used to me — to the point where she will swim up to me when I’m going past, and tap me on the legs until I hold my arms out for her to lay on for a cuddle.”
Imagine how the divers viewing him feel if you can’t believe what you’re reading!
“Most divers seeing this for the first time can’t believe it. I don’t feed her or any of the other sharks I play with — I basically treat them like I would a dog.”
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When compared to great white sharks, the Port Jackson sharks are much smaller. Sharks are frequently misrepresented in the media as a threat to humans. People, on the other hand, are significantly more harmful to sharks.
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Anderson has been scuba diving for almost 30 years and owns and operates a dive shop. He goes on to say that sharks aren’t always mindless killers waiting for humans to enter the water. He claims he has always felt at ease swimming with these creatures.