ABSTRACT
Wound healing of a 2.3-m male Great White Shark is documented from Dyer Island, a known White Shark aggregation hot spot off South Africa, where several cage-diving companies operate. The injury was caused by a boat strike and resulted in a severe laceration estimated to measure 25 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 8.5 cm deep on the dorsum above the gill slits in front of the ¢rst dorsal ¢n. The wound was photographed over a 2-month period, while the shark remained in the vicinity of Dyer Island. The shark moved away from Dyer Island after 2 months but returned approximately 9 months later, when it was identi¢ed by its dorsal ¢n and body patterning by comparison with images in our extensive photographic database. The wound had closed, and a pigmented scar remained. It was subsequently sighted again in October 2010, and the healed wounds were visible but not pronounced; there was little evidence of long-term damage in that the animal swam and behaved in the normal manner for this species. Boat-strike incidents and wound healing in other species are discussed to provide context to this incident.
