This Island Is a Haven for Supersized Sharks, and Scientists Can't Figure Out Why

Scientists are on a mission to understand why a former penal colony island off the coast of Australia is home to record-breaking amounts of large sharks.

Knewz.com has learned Norfolk Island, lying 994 miles east of the mainland, also happens to be a snorkeling attraction.

Tiger sharks, relatives of the lethal great white, have been observed to grow significantly in the area with said waters boasting the densest known population of the marine creatures.

Dr. Lauren Meyer, studying the phenomenon with her colleagues, Charlie Huveneers and Adam Barnett, confirmed the latter when she said: “This was the most tiger sharks we had ever caught in one day and they were the biggest males and biggest females we had ever seen.”

“It exceeded all of our expectations,” she explained of the species that is also threatened by extinction.

The group speculated that the animals’ increased presence may be connected to the island’s history as a cattle ranch and suggested that it is a “drive-through hamburger joint,” for the tiger sharks.

“You need something special to be able to sustain that many large sharks,” Professor Huveneers reasoned.

The research conducted by the trio entertained the idea that the sharks were attracted to beef offcuts but only accommodated the possibility of it comprising 10% of their diet.

The study further noted that 52% of the sharks’ sustenance comprised endemic birds.

“Seabird rafting behavior at dusk is the perfect opportunity for sharks to come up and use their big, flat noses to suction these birds off the surface,” Dr. Meyer explained.

Another academic in the field, Sophia Emmons, speculated that the latter may be the reason sharks in the area were growing to their observed sizes.

“With a very good food source, whether it's primarily from the cattle or from the seabirds, tiger sharks can expend more energy and put more of that into growth.”

The trio also found that the sharks were breeding in the waters around the island but migrated to the Island of New Caledonia 250 miles away to nurture their young.

With these findings under the belt, the scientists believe they are close to cracking the mystery.

“We’re getting closer to the answer, but it’s certainly not a slam dunk,” Professor Huveneers noted in an interview with National Geographic.

Citizens weighing in on the reports noted that as common as the sharks are in the area, they go largely unseen.

Reader and commenter, Peter M, wrote:

“I lived on the island for close to three years. Did a lot of spearfishing. Never saw a tiger shark though everyone knows they are there. Lots of friendly Galapagos sharks. People swim, surf, and dive, and, to my knowledge, there has never been a shark attack.”

“There is plenty of natural food for them and humans aren’t on their normal menu. Way more likely to die driving to the airport to catch your plane.”