A man in Perth, Australia was photographed after climbing on top of a dead whale that had attracted a number of large sharks in the waters off the West Australian coast.
@7NewsPerth chopper. Man's jumped in the water and climbed on top of a dead whale off Rottnest surrounded by sharks
Man jumps from boat on to a dead humpback whale surrounded by sharks off Rottnest. #perthnews http://t.co/HX0q8EY2Yr
It is believed the unidentified man/future Darwin Award contender swam out from a nearby boat between Freemantle and Rottnest Island, before climbing on top of the carcass, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
It's not exactly clear why he climbed on top, though.
A man poses for photos on a whale carcass. Sharks all around him. He won't be charged. Find out why @7NewsPerth at 6
Western Australia’s lifeguards tweeted that their helicopter had seen several tiger sharks and a white shark feeding on the rotting carcass.
Fisheries advise several sharks tiger and 1 white shark sighted at Widmills between Rottnest & Freo at 1335 hrs. Feeding on a whale.
Man climbs onto whale carcass as feeding sharks circle off WA coast http://t.co/WMoNkRVMMD Photo: @SLSWA
Department of Fisheries regional manager Tony Cappelluti told the West Australian that the man’s behavior was "highly risky."
Man climbs onto whale carcass as feeding sharks circle off West Australian coast http://t.co/LyTerZSITA via @ABCNews
"It is very risky to enter the water around that type of large food source because even if you can't see sharks it's highly likely the carcass is attracting them from a long way away," Cappelluti said.
He added, "Irrespective of some type of adrenaline rush or whatever you're trying to get out of performing that type of act, it's highly risky."
