Bull sharks have a reputation as one of the most dangerous sharks in the world.
But what if they’ve been blamed for attacks they didn’t commit?
In this video, we take a closer look at shark attacks that were quickly labeled as “bull shark incidents” — and uncover the possibility that other shark species may have been responsible.
And some of them you have probably never heard of.
From mysterious encounters in murky waters to cases where identification was never confirmed, this story challenges what we think we know about shark behavior, risk, and responsibility.
Are bull sharks truly the main threat… or have they been unfairly blamed for many attacks?
Chester Moore
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Manatee mistaken identity A gentle sea cow once took the blame for damage in Texas waters—but mounting evidence suggests the real culprits were juvenile bull sharks stirring up trouble.
The “lassoed” bull shark rumor A newspaper once claimed Texas game wardens “lassoed” a bull shark after it attacked someone. Spoiler: that’s pure myth, and I’ll explain why in the video.
A 40-year-old great white tale Decades ago, whispers spread that a “baby great white” was found in Sabine Lake. We’ll sift through whether that story has any teeth—or if it’s just another fishy rumor.
From jaw-dropping legends to real shark science, this commentary explores the history, the hype, and what’s actually swimming beneath the surface of Texas waterways.
In a jaw-dropping tale from the Texas Gulf Coast, I share a tale from legendary bass outfitter “Wild” Bill Skinner who had an unforgettable great white shark encounter off the coast of Port Aransas in his youth.
As sharks circled his family’s shrimp boat, a massive predator emerged from the deep and bit a blacktip shark clean in half — then dragged their boat! 📍
So, I want to give three awesome books on sharks to the first three people that email me at chester@chestermoore.com and put “sharks” in the subject line.
PS: If you listened to the episode let me know what you thought. It was a fun one to put together. Learn more about sharks at my other blog Gulf Great White Sharks.
Chester Moore
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On July 4, 2024, several individuals were reportedly injured by a shark off the southern coast of Texas at South Padre Island according to a report from ABC News.
Here’s what we know about this shark attack.
*Four separate incidents involving a single shark were reported according to the ABC report.
*The ABC report said Texas Game Warden Capt. Chris Dowdy confirmed that the incidents included two bites, a grazing, and an injury while fending off the shark. A press statement from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) said details at this time indicate that two people were bitten and two people “encountered” the shark but were not seriously injured. What does an encounter mean? Was it indeed a grazing or a strike from fending off the shark?
And while you’re at it please subscribe to that blog. It’s where the bulk of my shark content will be placed.
Also, I recorded a special mini-edition of Dark Outdoors the podcast to go deeper. It has some exclusive info and I dig into other rare multi-victim attacks on the Gulf Coast.
Higher Calling Wildlife® an outreach, founded by renowned wildlife journalist & conservationist Chester Moore, is thrilled to announce the launch of its “Summer of the Shark” program.
This exciting initiative aims to educate and inspire the next generation of wildlife conservationists by teaching kids about shark conservation.
The “Summer of the Shark” program is designed to provide young people with a deeper understanding of the vital role sharks play in marine ecosystems. Through engaging activities and mentorship, children will learn about the challenges sharks face and the importance of conservation efforts.
Chester Moore and Ericashea Borel from the Wild Wishes program in the cage at the Texas State Aquarium in 2023.
A highlight of the program will be the distribution of gifts to children on beaches this summer. These gifts, which include educational materials and conservation-themed items, aim to make learning about sharks fun and memorable.
Additionally, the program will extend its reach to shark-loving children facing special challenges, such as terminal illnesses, by sending these gifts to them across the country.
“It is exciting to help support a program that does so much in youth outreach within the context of marine conservation,” said CCA President Pat Murray.
“Chester’s vision and work are more than inspirational. He helps guide kids into natural resources conservation while also elevating the important and intricate issues in domestic and international shark management and conservation.”
The Higher Calling Wildlife® outreach has a long-standing commitment to wildlife education and conservation but especially in helping young people.
“CCA’s commitment to this program is enabling us to do some amazing things this summer. This will we’re taking three kids shark snorkeling at the Texas State Aquarium in their shark cage and kicking off the gift-giving part of the program. CCA is vital in making this happen,” Moore said.
“LeeBeth” photo courtesy Chip Michalove/Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
“The three awesome young people we have going with us are inspiring to me and I’m excited to take them out and give out shark education gifts to kick off our summer-long program.”
Moore said inspiration for the program came when “LeeBeth”, a great white shark fitted with a satellite tag by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC) popped up on the Texas Coast at South Padre Island.
“When I saw the response to that shark showing up and even my own daughter more engaged than normal on sharks and ocean issues through AWSC’s Sharktivity app, I thought it would be a good time to focus our efforts working with kids on sharks this summer. We’ve done three shark expeditions since 2022 with kids in Texas and Florida and thought we would do something special this year, since we had a special visitor to our coast that got so many kids excited.”
For more information about the “Summer of the Shark” program and how to get involved or connect a kid with the program email chester@chestermoore.com. or text 409-920-2062.
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