14 DAY TRIAL // In the aftermath of several shark attacks that took place off the Australian coast throughout this year, the state's high officials decided that the best thing to do in order to protect beachgoers was to kill any such animal that happened to swim a tad too close to the shoreline.
Thus, Colin Barnett, the Western Australia Premier, told members of the press that, “We will always put the lives and safety of beachgoers ahead of the sharks. This is, after all, a fish – let's keep it in perspective.”
Although nobody is denying the fact that public safety must be of utmost importance, conservationists urge the people behind this decision not to forget that the ocean is the shark's territory, and that people knowingly assume certain risks whenever entering the water.
However, the fact remains that, out of a total of 12 shark attacks ending in death reported in Australia throughout the past century, 5 have occurred this year alone.