Vittoria Lowrie
Ms. Delf
WR 121
10/31/22
The Truth About Killer Sharks: How can we improve shark and human interactions?
The Scariest Animals in the World
If you ask a person what the scariest, or most dangerous animals in the world are, you will hear a few common answers. Lions, snakes, bears… and sharks. Even a quick google search for ‘Scariest animals’ has sharks as the top result. It may be because many of those animals are advertised as ferocious killers, so many people fear them that they even have a name for people who have a phobia of them. Galeophobia is the phobia of sharks, originating from the Greek term for shark, Galeos(Boling). And according to IPSOS, 51% of the population has this phobia, while another 38% have a strong fear of sharks. So, to convince people that sharks aren’t as dangerous as they believe, it is important to ask why people fear them in the first place.
The Medias Negative Representation of Sharks
Yelling “shark!” On a beach carries the same weight as shouting fire in a crowded room. It elicits mass panic. When someone thinks of sharks, scenes from Jaws may come to mind, or the aggressive headlines of monster great whites causing bloodbaths on beaches. This may be due to the media’s serial villainization of these creatures. Movies like Jaws, which revolves around a serial killing shark, sparked the media’s interest in these animals since 1975. Even my mom tells me the story of her sister being too afraid to even sit in a bathtub after watching Jaws, let alone go on a family vacation to the beach. Because the media likes to play on emotions they sometimes choose shock value over the truth. As Florida Museum states, “Hollywood movies and the media reinforce the fear of sharks. No matter the level of injury, news agencies posting a picture of a huge white shark with a gruesome headline. Many of the bites we see here in Florida are from sharks that were smaller than the person they bit.”(Boling). Maybe the media’s capitalization of shark horror stories has impacted the population’s views of these creatures. But, if news outlets and movies told the truth then people would simply not be as interested. How intimidating would it be if a headline said “Man needs two stitches after run in with 2.5 feet juvenile tiger shark” or if the star of Jaws was a 3 foot long reef shark.
The media’s disinformation has a large impact on people’s perception of sharks. And the biggest impact was not just people being extremely afraid. Movies like Jaws reinforce the action of killing sharks as a solution to preventing shark attacks. The increase in violence against sharks has greatly impacted their population. As data has shown, “This translated to a loss of about 6 to 8 percent of all sharks annually, a rate that cannot be sustained by populations that typically only increase by about 5 percent a year.”(Knowlton). Because the media has pressed fear into everyone about the dangers of sharks, people may lack a feeling of empathy towards killing them.“In recent decades, some shark populations have declined up to 90% reflecting an unsustainable trend of over exploitation in ocean habitats, according to Bertoluzzi.”(Haelle). Even in the attempts to make safe barriers between sharks and humans, sharks are at risk. For example getting stuck in nets or entangled in fishing wires and lines. If these processes continue then soon, many shark species will go extinct.The previous quote shows the true impact on shark populations which can only be discontinued if people have a paradigm shift towards sharks. People wouldn’t feel the same way if a beloved animal like bunnies or puppies were the animals at stake.
The Truth: Sharks Aren’t as Dangerous as They Seem
For years there are many people that have enjoyed exploring a shark’s habitat peacefully and with no disruption. Even my parents for example, who used to live in Singapore, would go diving in waters only meters from black tip reef sharks, which happens to be known as one of the fastest and most aggressive species of sharks. Not once had they ever felt threatened, or in danger in their presence. My mom even described them as one of the most peaceful animals she’s ever had the luck of witnessing. Statistically, “The odds of the average person being bitten by a shark are 1 in approximately 11.5 million.”(Boling). You are far more likely to be killed by a bee sting yet the save the bee movement has become so popular that it is almost more common sense to save a bee than swat it away. This comes from an understanding that bees play a key role in our world and without them, pollination would not take place. If we could take this idea and technique and apply it to shark conservation then we would be able to make strides in changing people’s negative connotation of sharks.
The Importance of Sharks to Our Ecosystem
Sharks inhabit many different ecosystems including lakes, rivers, tropical reefs, arctic waters and many more. The reason they are so important to these ecosystems is because they are predators, which by definition is an animal that preys on others. As scary as that term may seem, predation is an important part of an ecosystem. In the case of sharks, they can hunt weak or sick fish so that the population remains healthy and at a normal size(Haelle). Another reason is that sharks play a role in regulating oxygen production. They do this by preying on fish that eat oxygen generating plankton. For example, “If the sharks disappear, the little fish explode in population, because nothing’s eating them,” Daly-Engel told Science(Haelle). “Pretty soon, their food — plankton, microorganisms, little shrimps — all of that is gone, so all the little fish ultimately starve.”(Haelle). No oxygen generating plankton, less abundance of valuable oxygen. Once little fish starve, algae and bacteria will overtake the reef and cover the coral which will lead to the coral dying and eventually turning into limestone. If the food chain is disrupted at this extensive level it would be catastrophic to the ecosystem. It would affect fishers and the food industry because fish populations would be disrupted. Weaker or sick fish would be able to more easily repopulate which could lead to infections in fish and even possibly a depletion in the fish population. So, whether we like it or not, “As much as our oceans need sharks. So do we”(Haelle).
Ways We Can Help People Feel Safer in the Ocean
If people can not psychologically disconnect their fear of sharks then there are some efforts that can be made to make people feel safer in the ocean. One of the first creations that was aimed at being less intrusive to sea life was shark nets. Shark nets are virtually large fishing nets with holes big enough to let most marine life through but small enough to prevent larger marine life, like sharks, from getting to the shoreline. As straightforward as it may seem, this invention also comes with its downsides. Researchers from the University of Wollongong Australia found that shark nets were actually ineffective in protecting people from sharks yet had a huge impact on marine life, both on shark species and other species as well(Long). Not only did sharks get stuck in these nets, but other endangered animals like sea turtles were also commonly getting stuck or injured. The University of Wollongong’s solution is to reinforce lifeguard patrols and monitoring of the oceans, instead of nets, to keep people safe. But with that being said, there have been many new attempts at finding safe ways to keep humans and sharks safe(Long).
One of the most well documented and researched shark tracking devices is known as tagging. Tagging refers to putting a monitor on individual sharks that can locate and track their movements and location. Many companies tag sharks for research to learn about mating and migration patterns. We have learned a lot using shark tagging, for example finding hotspots for breeding or where different species of sharks spend the majority of their time. If people have access to this information they would know when areas will have high populations of juvenile sharks and can stay away from those areas. Lifeguards can also warn beach goers if there are sharks migrating or breeding in the area. Right now these tags can only give information intermittently or when the shark breaches the water. I personally use many of these shark databases because I enjoy researching sharks. From simply downloading an app I have access to data about hundreds of tagged sharks with information about where they are located, where they came from, and what their patterns are. Although this information isn’t always accurate in real time, it is easy to see the potential this technology has in becoming a vital resource. That is why companies are also working to develop tags that can transmit real time information to people like lifeguards or even the general beach goer.
There are also many kinds of non-invasive products that are being engineered right now. One of the most popular, according to Boston University is buoys(Brown). These buoys contain sonar technology that can find and alert lifeguards of sharks swimming nearby(Brown). This can be a very valuable piece of equipment in areas that are known for having a large population of sharks, but one thing I see as a downside, is the price. These buoys cost at least $38,000 to cover only 120 yards of shorelines according to Boston University(Brown). When you take into consideration that many beaches are much larger than this, it would be unrealistic to use these buoys. For example, New Smyrna Beach in central Florida is known as one of the most dangerous beaches, not only in Florida but also in the entirety of the United States, and the world. New Smyrna beach is 17 miles long which is approximately 29,920 yards. Meaning it would take a whopping 250 buoys to cover the beach and 9.5 million dollars to pay for them. So, only using these buoys for beach surveillance would be an unrealistic plan when taking into consideration how much they cost.
This is not the only overly expensive product on the market. People have been actively trying to find a less invasive version of a shark net. There have been many ideas like kelp forests and bubble nets. Unfortunately, these ideas take a lot of upkeep and would require monthly or even weekly checks. They also lack research in areas with rough surf so without adequate research, people would not be willing to put down that much money if there is a possibility it won’t work. For example, rough surf may disrupt the bubbly net making it virtually non-existent and therefore sharks could continue to pass the barrier. It is definitely a valuable idea, but it would be more likely to be implemented if it was more cost efficient with more research backing its claims.
Other devices take the responsibility out of the beaches and put it into the hands of the beach goers. Companies like Ocean Guardian create a wearable device that creates a three dimensional electronic shield. This can act as a shark repellent because of sharks “highly sensitive electrical receptors located in their snouts, called ampullae of Lorenzini, that sense tiny electrical current from prey less than a meter away.”(Brown). The electrical currents cause a ‘safe but uncomfortable spasm’ for the shark causing them to turn away. The price of one of these devices is at least several hundred dollars which although seems expensive, it could be reasonable for someone who is spending a lot of their time on the beach or works in the ocean. Specifically those who are surfing, diving, etc.
Although the electronic shield may become the best and safest form of protection it only creates a safe environment for those who have the equipment. The article from Boston University, by Joel Brown, states that companies are trying to create a version of this equipment to cover entire beaches but there has not been enough research to understand the implications of having a constant electrical shield as well as the technology advanced enough to create a cost efficient electrical shield. This brings up many important questions. Like what effects does this technology have on other animals? Or, what are the effects of long term exposure to shark, other marine life and even humans?
Is There a Perfect Solution?
Mainly, I believe there is no exact right answer. As a community we need to take one step at a time to create a better environment instead of looking to find an immediate one step solution. I believe it is up to the government to re-enforce laws against shark fishing. With that being said, if laws are going to be created to prevent the killing of sharks, which some people think is solving a problem, then it is up to the government to also present a solution. An investment into multiple things like tagging, sonar technology and electromagnetic technology would be a good start. Adding protective devices, like the buoys, could have a positive impact on an area’s tourism because people will feel much safer going to a beach with added safety precautions than they would going somewhere else. Some locations are economically reliant on tourists so in the long run, investing in protective devices wouldn’t be a waste of money if it creates a spike in tourism. And hopefully by continuing to study sharks and new technology we can move away from the ‘people versus sharks’ debate and create an environment where we can share the ocean peacefully with minimal danger to both humans and sharks.
Work Cited
Bowling, Tyler. “The Fear of Sharks”. Florida Museum, 19 Jan 2022. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/sharks/blog/the-fear-of-sharks/. Accessed 1 Nov 2022.
Brown, Joel. “Nets, Smells, Sounds, and Technologies That Might Protect Us from Sharks.”. Boston University Today. 18 April 2019. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/shark-repellent-and-shark-deterrent/. Accessed 8 Nov 2022
Haelle, Tara. “An eco-friendly way to reduce shark attacks”. Science, 8 Aug 2014. https://www.science.org/content/article/eco-friendly-way-reduce-shark-attacks. Accessed 7 Nov 2022.
Knowlton, Nancy and Benchley, Wendy. “The State of Sharks, 40 Years After Jaws”. Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Aug 2014. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/state-sharks-40-years-after-jaws- 180952309/. Accessed 1 Nov 2022.
Long, Benjamin. “Shark nets destructive and ineffective, study finds” . University of Wollongong Australia, 4 Dec 2019. https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2019/shark-nets-destructive-and-ineffective-study- inds.php. Accessed 8 Nov 2022.
