Personal electric deterrents can reduce shark bites from the three species responsible for the most fatal interactions.

Autor: Clarke TM; Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia. tom.clarke@flinders.edu.au., Barnett A; Marine Data Technology Hub, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.; Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, QLD, Australia., Fitzpatrick R; Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, QLD, Australia., Ryan LA; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia., Hart NS; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia., Gauthier ARG; Centre Sécurité Requin, 25F Avenue Des Artisans, Zone Artisanale de La Pointe Des Châteaux, 97436, Saint Leu, Reunion Island, France., Scott-Holland TB; Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia., Huveneers C; Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2024 Jul 15; Vol. 14 (1), pp. 16307. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 15.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66679-6
Abstrakt: The frequency of unprovoked shark bites is increasing worldwide, leading to a growing pressure for mitigation measures to reduce shark-bite risk while maintaining conservation objectives. Personal shark deterrents are a promising and non-lethal strategy that can protect ocean users, but few have been independently and scientifically tested. In Australia, bull (Carcharhinus leucas), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), and white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are responsible for the highest number of bites and fatalities. We tested the effects of two electric deterrents (Ocean Guardian's Freedom+ Surf and Freedom7) on the behaviour of these three species. The surf product reduced the probability of bites by 54% across all three species. The diving product had a similar effect on tiger shark bites (69% reduction) but did not reduce the frequency of bites from white sharks (1% increase), likely because the electrodes were placed further away from the bait. Electric deterrents also increased the time for bites to occur, and frequency of reactions and passes for all species tested. Our findings reveal that both Freedom+ Surf and Freedom7 electric deterrents affect shark behaviour and can reduce shark-bite risk for water users, but neither product eliminated the risk of shark bites entirely. The increasing number of studies showing the ability of personal electric deterrents to reduce shark-bite risk highlights personal protection as an effective and important part of the toolbox of shark-bite mitigation measures.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz:
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje