Shark-atraz! Startled tourists witness great white shark maul sea lion near

‘It’s the first known predation of a sea lion or seal that I know of in San Francisco Bay in historical times’.

The video of the attack has been viewed more than 160,000 times on YouTube.

A group of onlookers have witnessed nature at its furious best, as a great white shark devoured a sea lion just metres from a pier in the San Francisco Bay. The last recorded shark attack in the San Francisco Bay happened in 1959, when a man was killed, reports the Daily Mail. They continued to watch in a mix of horror and amazement as great white, which scientists say was about 8-10 feet long, partook in a midday meal, creating a circle of blood amid the choppy blue water. He even broke into the “Jaws” theme song as the sharks took turns tearing the seal apart.

Director of the San Francisco based shark conservation group Shark Stewards, David McGuire, agreed that the shark looked like a great white. “The tourists were pretty excited”.

While great white sharks are usually associated with the open ocean, particularly the Farallon Islands, 27 miles offshore, they have been known to occasionally find their way inside the San Francisco Bay. He also reassured that the risk of a shark attack on humans is always low, and adds, “I suspect this shark is well fed”. Over eighty swimmers from the Dolphin Club and South End Rowing Club swam from Alactraz last week, and another race is scheduled for next weekend. “There’s much higher risks, like getting hit by a boat”, he said.