There is a fine art to handling tiger sharks. Lethal at either end, they can kill or maim with a crunch of their jaws or a flip of their tail. Yet when Mike Heithaus lies awake at night, it isn't the hazards of handling the sharks that steal his sleep. A marine biologist, Heithaus has learned that a little care goes a long way.
Tiger sharks can be dangerous.
But their preference in meat leans toward sea turtles and other marine life, not man. What does keep Heithaus awake are the mysterious journeys of the creatures of Shark Bay, a pristine stretch off Australia's western coast. Sharks are the major player in that aquatic ecosystem, but sea snakes, manatee-like dugongs, green and loggerhead turtles, and dolphins also cruise the waters. But it isn't enough just to count the creatures. It's like asking why people cluster in New York, but not in rural Ohio.