LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — A brand new find out about on Great White Sharks via the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab published the marine predators frequently come shockingly shut to other folks in the ocean.
The find out about attempted to determine how protected swimmers, surfers and paddle boarders are once they pass into the water. And the effects are eye-opening.
“The sharks are there. They they were swimming under surfers, and didn’t ever change their trajectory swing right next to people and nothing happened,” mentioned Patrick Rex, a graduate pupil and researcher at Cal State Long Beach’s shark lab, who spent two years finding out Southern California white sharks from the air the use of drones.
The drones gave Rex a chook’s-eye view of shark’s habits and encounters with people.
The photographs are stunning: great white sharks swimming proper subsequent to surfers and swimmers, who frequently are unaware in their shut come upon.
“This is a way we can look at people and sharks behaving naturally in their states it’s really been an amazing tool and effective tool,” mentioned Rex.
The find out about checked out 26 seashores alongside Southern California and located great white sharks had been basically centered at two hotspots so-called aggregation websites at Del Mar and Carpinteria.
At the 2 hotspots, Rex discovered that individuals in the ocean at those aggregation websites are shut to sharks 98% of the time. Sometimes simply yards away.
Rex discovered white sharks spend extra than part in their time inside of 110 yards of the wave destroy. Surfers and paddle borders with the nearest proximity.
“Juvenile white sharks use our beaches as a nursery. It’s safe, has lots of food that’s easy to catch and the water is warm but that also puts them in close proximity to people using the ocean for recreation,” mentioned Chris Lowe, the director of CSULB’s Shark Lab.
Here’s any other stunning in finding: regardless of the higher encounters, Rex discovered no build up in bites.
“The really big take away is that when these aggregation show up the sharks will be there and you’ll be there and largely they are not looking at you as prey,” mentioned Rex.
The find out about showed what researchers have lengthy believed: so long as you depart the sharks on my own, they are going to depart you on my own.
“All these animals, they’re looking for safety, and if they feel threatened, they will defend themselves like all animals will. So we highly encourage people to do their best to ignore them. Appreciate the fact that they’re there. This is their home, be a good guest,” mentioned Lowe.