As nice white sharks make their method again north to Cape Cod for the summer time and fall, shark researchers have launched “stunning” outcomes from a 2-year drone examine — displaying that apex predators got here very near folks, however merely moved round them or ignored them utterly.
The examine alongside southern California seashores checked out how shut juvenile white sharks get to people, reminiscent of waders, swimmers, surfers, and stand-up paddle boarders.
The researchers from Cal State Lengthy Seashore Shark Lab revealed that at juvenile white shark aggregation websites, folks had been close to sharks on 97% of the times surveyed. And throughout the two-year drone examine, there have been no reported shark bites in any of the surveyed places.
“Frankly, we had been shocked,” Christopher Lowe, professor of marine biology and director of CSULB Shark Lab, informed the Herald on Monday. “Sharks would work together with folks each single day, a number of occasions a day, and they might simply swim by.
“It was stunning that these occurrences had been occurring so typically,” Lowe added. “And the truth that nobody was being bitten smacks within the face of the misperception that if there’s a white shark close by, you’ll be attacked. This exhibits that’s not the case.”
Greater than 1,500 drone surveys had been performed from 2019 by 2021 throughout 26 completely different southern California seashores to measure human-juvenile white shark habitat overlap.
The juvenile white sharks had been typically 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 had been seen as shut as 2 yards from the wave break.
“There have been various occasions when white sharks would swim by folks, and the folks simply didn’t understand it,” Lowe mentioned. “The surfers and swimmers couldn’t see them, and it occurs way over folks think about.”
Lowe grew up on Martha’s Winery, when it was very uncommon to see a fantastic white shark and when the grey seal inhabitants had not exploded alongside the Cape.
He in contrast the California shark state of affairs to the Cape shark state of affairs, noting that researchers have been beginning to see an increasing number of 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 folks.
“That makes {that a} very completely different state of affairs, however there’s nonetheless folks going within the water and white sharks are nonetheless swimming by folks on the Cape, they usually aren’t being bitten,” Lowe mentioned.
“There are lots of alternatives to make use of drones alongside the Cape, and I feel folks could be stunned with what they see,” he added.
This methodology of surveillance utilizing drone videography will also be used for future approaches for analysis, training, or general seashore security functions.
These findings are relevant on a world 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 extra in analysis,” Lowe mentioned. “I feel that may actually assist.”
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