Australia: 30 sharks observed devouring a whale (VIDEO)

Shark sightings are commonplace in Australia, but the spectacle offered by some thirty sharks yesterday was quite unusual. Off the coast of Rottnest Island, in the south-west of the country, several dozen sharks were filmed feasting on the flesh of a whale carcass.

Cetacean carcass

According to the website SharkSmart, which tracks shark activity to ensure the safety of swimmers and surfers, a carcass was spotted off the island on November 15, before making its way close to a beach a day later.

Attracted by the smell of blood and other fluids, some 30 sharks gathered near the floating corpse to devour it. In a video filmed from Hotel Beach by local media, several sharks can be seen nibbling on the animal, which has been dead since Monday, at least.

Beaches closed

As a precautionary measure, the nearby beaches and bays closed for several hours.

In the late afternoon of Tuesday, November 16, the beaches reopened, but SharkSmart still invites swimmers and bathers to remain vigilant 'because the remains of the whale's carcass may still attract sharks to the area.'

Check out the footage for yourself...