Black December

### Culprit:

Most unknown (likely bull sharks) 1 attack confirmed to be done by a great white shark.

### Result:

Necessitated the formation of the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board in 1962.

**Black December** refers to at least nine shark attacks on humans causing six deaths that occurred along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from December 18, 1957 to April 5, 1958.

## Victims

### Robert Wherley

16-year old Robert Wherley was the first victim of the attacks of Black December. While body surfing, Wherley's left leg was severed at the knee, and part of his left thigh removed. Despited the severity of his wounds, his attack was non-fatal and the shark was not identified.

### Allan Green

15-year old Allan Green, the second victim, suffered a fatal attack at Uvongo, with multiple severe injuries, while standing in shallow water. The identity of the shark that attacked him was not known.

### Vernon James Berry

Vernon James Berry, the 23-year old third victim, was attacked at Margate, with his right arm broken & stripped of flesh, his left hand severed above the wrist, lower abdomen, buttocks, & thigh bitten while floating. Vernon's attack was fatal. The shark that attacked him was not identified.

### Donald Webster

Donald Webster, aged 20, suffered a non-fatal attack in Port Edward, with lacerations on his head and neck while skindiving.

### Julia Painting

Julia Painting, aged 14, suffered a non-fatal attack in Margate, the same place as Vernon James Berry was killed, in which her left arm was severed, her torso bitten, thigh lacerated, and given many abrasions while standing.

### Unknown Zulu male

This victim, not named, was the victim of a fatal attack in the MaKakatana River, with his right leg severed above knee, while fishing. Given the location of his death, it is likely that the unidentified shark implicated in the attack was a bull shark (also known in Africa as a Zambezi shark).

### Derryck Garth Prinsloo

Derryck Garth Prinsloo, 42-years old, was attacked by a great white shark in Scottburgh. This attack was fatal, with Prinsloo being mauled below the waist, with his femoral artery severed, while standing. His was the only attack for which the shark was identified confidently.

### Nicholaas Badenhorst

Fatally attacked, 29-year old Nicholas Badenhorst was attacked in Port Edward, with his arm severed above elbow, and his abdomen & leg bitten, while swimming. His attacker was not identified.

### Fay Jones Bester

28-year old Fay Jones Bester, the last victim of the attacks of Black December, was fatally attacked in Uvongo, while surfing.

## Reasons for the Attacks

In December 1957 several key factors occurred simultaneously to attract sharks to the Durban area, including: whaling ships operating in the area and the resulting kills heightening the sharks' prey-drives and senses; rivers flooded and washed dead or drowning livestock into the Indian Ocean and made the river deltas murky; lastly, recent resort development had increased the number of tourists swimming off the beaches. Adding to the confusion was the lack of adequate shark research and the knowledge to prevent shark attacks in 1957.

## Attempted Solutions

Tourists fled the Durban area during Black December causing a devastating impact on the local economy. The local authorities desperately made attempts to protect swimmers and surfers from sharks. These attempts included enclosures built from wooden poles and netting; however, both were ineffective and were destroyed by the powerful surf. A South African Navy frigate also dropped depth charges, causing few shark fatalities and attracted many more sharks into the area that feasted on the dead fish as a result.

## Rise of the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board

As a result of Black December the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, previously the *Natal Sharks Board* and *Natal Anti-Shark Measures Board,* was formed in 1962. The organization's mandate is to maintain shark nets and drum lines at 38 places, along 320 km of coastline off the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, to protect bathers and surfers from shark attacks.