Now two experts, Mr.Geremy Cliff the head of research at the Natal Sharks Board, South Africa and the well kown shark expert; Neil Hammerschlag of the South Florida Student Shark Program (SFSSP), Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science (RSMAS), University of Miami, have independendly studied the shark population on Chumphon Pinnacle and their findings came as a surprise to just about everyone on Koh Tao.

Geremy Cliff ruled out the grey reef shark straight away. He attached two photographs of grey reef sharks from South Africa and said:

“Notice the different shape of the first dorsal fin and the small second dorsal are clearly not grey reef. They certainly look like Zambezi (Bull sharks) which does occur in Thailand. … I don't think that there is anything else that (the sharks from chumphon pinnacle) could be."

Neil Hammerschlag, also confirmed upon the picture material that the sharks on Koh Tao's best dive site are infact Bull Sharks!

Robin Nagy and Richard Campbell are the two divers on Koh Tao who have finally proven the fact that we all have been mistaken over so many Years. On their investigation on bull shark attacks though, they have found "absolutely no evidence around the world of any scuba divers being attacked by sharks unless the diver was behaving in a manner which would actively change the sharks’ behaviour. Scuba diver victims were either spear fishing, baiting or feeding the shark at the time of the attack. There have been no records of any divers ever being attacked by sharks at Chumphon or for that matter anywhere else in Thailand.

The International Shark Attack File records just one shark attack in Thailand, in the year 2000 and might have well been the fisherman who didn't realize that he had caught a shark in his fishing net.

Richard Campbell further states in his article about bull sharks on Chumphon Pinnacle: "Bull Sharks on Chumphon Pinnacle is fantastic news for the dive industry on Koh Tao. There are very few places on earth where you can easily dive with bull sharks. It is also extremely encouraging to observe so many persecuted animals apparently thriving in Thai waters, which is near the centre of the vile trade in shark fins. All divers and operators on Koh Tao have a responsibility to actively engage in the protection and survival of these magnificent animals."

From my own experience and that of my fellow diving professionals at Blue Marlin Divers and other Dive Resorts on Koh Tao, i know that the sharks on Chumphon Pinnacle are nosy but not aggressive. We stand a good chance that it will stay like this for many Years to come if we behave like the visitors we are in their environment. I strongly reccommend that those of the dive guides who still "call" the sharks ,with what trick ever, should stop those activities immidiately. Watch and enjoy the maybe only place in the world where you can get this close to bull sharks.