Discovering a new way to reduce white shark attacks

White sharks, as top predators of the ocean’s food pyramid, are always a potential danger to swimmers and surfers. These marine animals are highly dependent on their eyesight to hunt their prey. However, Macquarie University scientists have managed to find a way to reduce the risk of white shark attacks using a clever trick.

According to the scientific news department of Tekna technology media, white sharks are sensitive to the shadows that these animals create in the water to hunt prey such as seals. Seeing these shadows, they identify the prey and attack it. But the interesting thing is that sharks’ vision is not very accurate and they can easily mistake the shadow of a seal with the shadow of a human or a surfboard.

By studying the behavior of the middle-fin Maldakht fish, the researchers realized that these fish use a clever method to escape from predators. By producing light under their body, they break their shadow and become invisible to predators. Inspired by this method, the researchers created artificial seal-shaped baits with LED lights installed on them. These baits were then thrown into the water to see if the sharks would attack them. The results of the experiments showed that the way lights, which were placed vertically on the baits, were the most effective in reducing shark attacks.

Professor Nathan Hart, one of the researchers on the project, believes that the striped lights break up the shadow of the prey, making it unintelligible to the sharks. In other words, these lights act like an invisibility cloak and confuse the sharks. This new discovery could significantly reduce the risk of shark attacks. Using this technology, it is possible to design new protective equipment for swimmers and surfers. Also, this technology can be effective in protecting endangered species such as sea turtles.
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