By Mark McConville
WATCH the enormous raw power of a Great White shark as breaches the water in pursuit of a tasty treat.
Incredible video footage shows the huge ten-foot-long shark propel itself out of the water as it tries to snatch a piece of bait.
Other stunning shots show the 1600-pound shark latch on to the meal and attempt to wrestle if off the rope while another shark is filmed swimming just below the surface of the water. It appears to have several teeth missing and a hook embedded in its mouth.
The amazing images and footage were taken in Gansbaai, South Africa by underwater cameraman Anthony Kobrowisky (31) from Durban.
“I shoot sharks on shark cage diving boats as a full-time job at the moment,” he said.
“The main focus of my employment is to show people that sharks are very much misunderstood and are not these ruthless killers but rather, beautiful animals that deserve a lot of respect.
“These are different shark behaviours. There are beautiful shots of them breaching and open mouth shots, which shows the beauty and power of these animals.”
Mr Kobrowisky, who filmed the footage on a GoPro Hero 5, explained what it takes to catch an apex predator in action.
“It’s very important to be ready all the time,” he said.
“Do not rest for a second. That’s when you get your shot. I will stand next to the bait handler with a long pole and an action camera attached to it waiting for the perfect time to take the shot.
“My pole is literally a homemade painting pole with surf leashes attached to the camera so I don’t lose the camera if a shark gets it. I don’t really think a leash would make much of a difference though.”
Mr Kobrowisky also stressed the importance of changing our mindset on these misunderstood, endangered animals.
“The idea of posting videos is to show the beauty and power of these animals,” he added.
“It’s also to educate people that sharks are not ruthless killers. They are critically endangered. We need to change our mindset of these animals before it’s too late.
“Studies by Dr Sara Angliotti have shown that Great Whites in South Africa are on the verge of extinction with as little as 350-530 left off the coast line.”
