Shark sighting at Sentosa’s Palawan Beach on Sept 1
Sentosa temporarily halted swimming and water activities on Sept 1 after a shark sighting at Palawan Beach.
However, these activities have since resumed from 9am on Sept 2, after drone inspections confirmed there were no further shark sightings there, said a Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) spokesperson on Sept 3.
Videos surfaced on social media in the days following the incident, showing what appeared to be a shark swimming in shallow waters at Palawan Beach.
In one video, children can be heard screaming as the shark swims, with a woman cautioning them against splashing water at it. An object can also be seen being thrown at the shark from off-screen.
A witness, who gave his name as Andy, told citizen journalism website Stomp that there was a “much smaller” shark that had been sighted before the one that was captured on video.
“We were curious and surprised, but we ignored it because it was small,” he said of the approximately 40cm shark. “Then in the next moment, came this 1.5m blacktip reef shark.
“We were all horrified and everyone in the sea started screaming and shouting... The lifeguard nearby soon saw the commotion and immediately flew the red flag to (indicate) no more swimming. The shark was circling round and round the Palawan Beach area.”
The SDC spokesperson told ST that the blacktip reef shark was sighted in the waters of Palawan Beach at about 3.15pm on Sept 1.
“Our beach patrol officers and Sentosa rangers were on the ground to immediately evacuate guests from the waters for their safety. As a precaution, swimming and water activities were also halted for Palawan Beach, indicated by the flags that were put up by our beach patrol officers,” said the spokesperson.
“The safety of our guests is of paramount importance to us, and regular protocols are undertaken by our beach patrol officers to monitor the safety of our waters.”
Those who require assistance on Sentosa in the event of any emergencies are advised to contact the Sentosa rangers at 1800-RANGERS (7264377).
In response to queries from The Straits Times, wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said that there was no cause for alarm, as blacktip reef sharks – such as the one seen in the video – are “timid, highly misunderstood animals”.
While noting that “our tiny island has such rich biodiversity”, Acres’ co-chief executive Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan said those who encounter such sharks are encouraged to keep a distance so as not to provoke them. Acres would not be taking any action, he said.
In the Singapore Red Data Book, which provides information such as the scientific and common names, and descriptions of each plant and animal species here, Blacktip reef sharks are listed as an endangered species.
According to Government website SG101, blacktip reef sharks are native to Singapore. Named after their characteristic black fin tips, they typically grow up to 1.6m in length, but in some cases, even to 2.9m.
These sharks, which pose little threat to humans, are commonly found in shallow coastal waters, and are known to be common shark encounters to divers.
The blacktip reef shark population has been declining due to overfishing and marine pollution which affect their habitats, as well as rising sea levels from climate change threatening their food sources and habitats.
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