Shark

The Shark is a wild animal in Dinkum found in the oceans anywhere on the map. It is naturally aggressive and attacks by biting, but it only targets the player while they are in water at least two tiles deep, meaning it is actively swimming. If the player goes ashore, the shark loses interest, and if its health is reduced to a low level it will also swim away.

Sharks can be attracted with a Shark Berley Box, which is sold by Ted Selly. Like other Berley Boxes, it creates colored smoke to show the type of animal it summons, and up to three sharks can spawn nearby in matching smoke. If any of them are hunted, trapped, or otherwise lost while the box is active, replacements will appear until the box deactivates. Any sharks that have already spawned remain even after the box stops working.

For hunting, sharks are easier to handle once they are brought out of the water. They can be pulled onto land with an Iron Fishing Rod by casting the line near them; when the shark bites, the player can reel it in like a fish. Once reeled onto land, it appears near the player and is briefly stunned. After recovering, it will try to hop back to the water, so there is a short window to finish it off or otherwise control it.

A few practical points make shark encounters much safer:

• Sharks do not pursue the player onto land, so simply reaching shore is enough to break their attack.
• Their aggression is limited to deep water, so staying in shallow areas reduces risk.
• They retreat when badly wounded, so prolonged fights in open water may cause them to disengage.
• The spear family is generally the most versatile choice for hunting in the game, making it a useful option when dealing with sharks after luring them onto land.

Because sharks inhabit the ocean and can be called in with a dedicated Berley Box, they are one of the more predictable wild animals to encounter. Their behavior makes them dangerous while swimming, but relatively manageable once the player understands their range and how to force them out of the water.