Great white sharks vanish from Cape Town and no one knows why … or do we? Orca: The Day the Great White Sharks Disappeared is the thrilling new book by shark conservationist Richard Peirce.

‘The attacks by orcas on great white sharks, and their disappearance and reappearance in Western Cape waters has caused much speculation, job losses, happiness and misery. Orca tells the story of the sharks, the killer whales, and the people.’ – Richard Peirce

About the book

Great white sharks, attracted by an offshore seal colony, have brought success to the adjacent fishing village of Gansbaai along the southern African coast. A flourishing shark cage diving industry has sprung up, bringing jobs and money, and so benefiting almost the entire community. Tourists come from far and near to experience the thrill of a real-life brush with the legendary ‘Jaws’. Shark Town, as it has become known, is booming.

Then one day, the sharks disappear. Slowly at first, but with gathering momentum, the word spreads: cage diving off Gansbaai can no longer promise the thrill of an encounter. The crowds thin, the boats remain at their moorings, and the once bustling community waits as their livelihoods tail off. Entrepreneurs and scientists alike are baffled.

But it’s not long before shark carcasses start washing up on the beaches. These, together with some coincidental sightings of another apex predator in the vicinity, are the first leads to the possible causes and culprits. Against the clamour and thrill of the cage-diving season in full swing, Richard Peirce visits the unfolding drama and explores what’s behind these strange events.

About the author

Richard Peirce is best known as a shark conservationist and is chairman of the Shark Conservation Society and the Shark Trust. He has authored several books, including The Poacher’s Moon – an exposé of rhino-poaching. Richard and his wife Jacqui are confirmed nomads who spend half the year in South Africa; their love of wildlife takes them to the bush at every opportunity.

Categories Non-fiction South Africa

Tags New books New releases Orca Penguin Random House SA Richard Peirce Struik Nature