Just saw this on the 7pm Project

SPECIAL REPORT: THESE pictures show WA conservationist Leon Deschamps sitting on a whale carcass and patting tiger sharks feeding on it.

He hopes the images will dispel what he says are ``myths'' that tiger sharks are bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters.

Scientists found the sharks feasting on the dead whale during a field trip to collect genetic samples as part of the Shark Bay Ecosystem Research Project in August.

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The sharks appeared almost indifferent to the close attention they received from Mr Deschamps and other conservationists perched atop their feast.

``Tiger sharks are not aggressive,'' Mr Deschamps said. ``And I thought the most effective way to demonstrate that would be by throwing ourselves into the middle of a feeding frenzy.

"They were sedate in their movements and far from aggressive, despite it being a time when they are supposed to be at their most ferocious. I think they enjoyed the experience.''

But a Department of Environment and Conservation spokesman warned that touching whales was illegal and people were encouraged not to interfere with sharks because of the risk of attack.

``This is highly irresponsible and dangerous behaviour and puts people's lives at risk,'' the spokesman said.

Mr Deschamps, 32, has been working with sharks for most of his life, and reiterated the department's warning to leave them alone, especially during feeding.

``The water (in Shark Bay) is so shallow that sharks can be better seen from a 4WD than a boat,'' he said.

He believes Shark Bay, with more than 40 shark species, has as much to offer as the popular tourist destination Monkey Mia, famous for its dolphins.

He said the former shire council had discouraged him from promoting the area's rich shark population, for fear that tourism would be negatively affected.

To aid conservation efforts, he is campaigning for acoustic monitoring devices to be placed along a 1000km stretch of Shark Bay coastline. He hopes the data will reveal the sharks' migratory routes and feeding patterns, which are relatively unknown.

He is also working to establish a database of images using the animals' distinctive dorsal fins so individual sharks can be recognised.

Local conservationists Trevor and Rhonda Humphries are so passionate about Mr Deschamps' project, they donated their retirement yacht to be used as a research vessel.

``All the research at the moment is done by international, mostly American or Canadian, researchers,'' Mr Deschamps said.

``I just want to see more Aussies involved in creating their own conservation programs in their own back yard.''