Ancient myths of the bull shark population in the Brisbane River, colloquially known as the ‘Brown Snake’, have been brought to light recently, when a local riverwalk regular inquired about whether it is safe for dogs to swim in the river.
During the warmer months, rumours of fishermen catching metre-long bull sharks have travelled around the city.
Queensland Museum ichthyologist Jeff Johnson says bull sharks are a common resident of the Brisbane River, with researchers estimating approximately 1,000-3,000 bull sharks live in the river.