Synopsis
Researchers in Australia are urging the implementation of acoustic technology to track white sharks along the South Australian coast. This initiative aims to reduce the risk of shark attacks on humans following several fatalities in recent months.Key Takeaways
- Acoustic technology could track white sharks.
- Four fatalities due to shark attacks since May 2023.
- Over 200 white sharks tagged for monitoring.
- Real-time data could enhance public safety.
- Similar programs have proven effective in New South Wales.
Canberra, Jan 20 (NationPress) Researchers are advocating for the use of acoustic technology to monitor white sharks along the coast of South Australia (SA) to mitigate the risk of human attacks.
Since May 2023, four individuals have lost their lives due to shark attacks at beaches in South Australia, including 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby, who tragically died earlier this month from a suspected great white shark attack, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
This alarming series of incidents has led researchers to propose the implementation of acoustic technology at popular beaches throughout the SA coastline to keep track of tagged white sharks.
As part of a monitoring initiative for the diving sector, over 200 white sharks have already been tagged in the waters off South Australia.
These tags emit a distinctive sound pulse that underwater receivers detect, subsequently relaying the location data via satellite.
Currently, a limited number of receivers have been set up along the coastline of Adelaide, the capital of SA, for research purposes. However, shark specialist Charlie Huveneers from Flinders University emphasized that these devices could be utilized more broadly to enhance public safety against shark attacks.
He mentioned that real-time receivers could alert both the public and authorities when a shark is in proximity.
"This information can empower the public to make better-informed decisions regarding the risks of shark bites and to exit the water if a potentially dangerous shark is nearby," he stated in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
According to Russ Bradford from the national science agency CSIRO, the eastern coastal state of New South Wales (NSW) has invested around 20 million Australian dollars ($12.4 million) over the past decade on shark tagging and the installation of acoustic receivers.
He expressed to ABC that a similar initiative in SA could effectively warn water users about the presence of sharks.
The shark tagging program in NSW is recognized as one of the largest globally, with 37 acoustic receivers along the coast recording a staggering 62,835 shark detections in 2023, of which 34,929 were great white sharks.
A representative from the SA state government informed ABC that expanding the acoustic receiver program in SA to reduce shark bite risks would be considered inefficient and impractical due to the extensive length of the coastline.
