As nice white sharks make their manner again north to Cape Cod for the summer season and fall, shark researchers have launched “shocking” outcomes from a 2-year drone research — exhibiting that apex predators got here very near individuals, however merely moved round them or ignored them fully.
The research alongside southern California seashores checked out how shut juvenile white sharks get to people, resembling waders, swimmers, surfers, and stand-up paddle boarders.
The researchers from Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab revealed that at juvenile white shark aggregation websites, individuals have been close to sharks on 97% of the times surveyed. And in the course of the two-year drone research, there have been no reported shark bites in any of the surveyed areas.
“Frankly, we were shocked,” Christopher Lowe, professor of marine biology and director of CSULB Shark Lab, informed the Herald on Monday. “Sharks would work together with individuals each single day, a number of instances a day, and they might simply swim by.
“It was shocking that these occurrences were happening so often,” Lowe added. “And the fact that no one was being bitten smacks in the face of the misconception that if there’s a white shark nearby, you’ll be attacked. This shows that’s not the case.”
More than 1,500 drone surveys have been carried out from 2019 by means of 2021 throughout 26 completely different southern California seashores to measure human-juvenile white shark habitat overlap.
The juvenile white sharks have been usually noticed inside 50 yards of the place the waves break, placing surfers and stand-up paddle boarders within the closest proximity to sharks. Some sharks have been seen as shut as 2 yards from the wave break.
“There were a number of times when white sharks would swim by people, and the people just didn’t know it,” Lowe mentioned. “The surfers and swimmers could not see them, and it happens far more than people imagine.”
Lowe grew up on Martha’s Vineyard, when it was very uncommon to see an amazing white shark and when the grey seal inhabitants had not exploded alongside the Cape.
He in contrast the California shark scenario to the Cape shark scenario, noting that researchers have been beginning to see increasingly sharks popping up alongside southern California seashores within the final 20 years.
One main distinction is Cape seals have claimed territory at seashores, bringing grownup white sharks nearer to individuals.
“That makes that a very different situation, but there’s still people going in the water and white sharks are still swimming by people on the Cape, and they aren’t being bitten,” Lowe mentioned.
“There are a lot of opportunities to use drones along the Cape, and I think people would be surprised with what they see,” he added.
This methodology of surveillance utilizing drone videography may also be used for future approaches for analysis, training, or general seaside security functions.
These findings are relevant on a worldwide scale, offering affirmation of sharks and people peacefully coinciding in the identical location.
“I hope the state (of Massachusetts) does what California does and invests more in research,” Lowe mentioned. “I think that will really help.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”