Repeat Offenders May be Responsible for Many Shark Attacks

FifthEric Klua, who turned into Share, Eric Klua, knows how much shark is to attack a person. While dogs kill some 30,000 people Annually, there are only 100 attacks from the shark documented Throughout the world every year, less than 15 percent of this killer. However, he wants to understand why sharks attack when they do so.

Scientists have long believed that sharks bite humans because shark coincided with humans in their homes in the oceans. They make mistakes in surfers and swimmers of prey, such as seals or turtles, as the theory says. In some places, such as the island of La Rionion in the Indian Ocean, this perspective encouraged practice Group insecurity From sharks to prevent attacks.

But when each first began to document shark attacks, he began to question this assumption. In 2009, he spoke with the young surfing in the new Caldonia territory abroad, who saw his friend being attacked by a large white penny. “Tell me,” it was as if the shark was playing with my friend. “He was moving around and chewing my friend,” says each. This did not seem to be a random meeting from the mixing shark. Instead, this special shark seemed to test if a person could provide an easy meal.

Each wondered: What if individual sharks are not the same? What if there are a few individuals chosen inside the population – the most daring and bolder – ready to experience an unfamiliar prey, which sometimes led them to the bite of humans? After all, among some terrestrial predators such as Tigers and PadIt is believed that a selection of “problems” is believed to be irresponsible for human attacks. Clewa, who is based in French Polinisia, says in The isolated and observatory research center, a French research unit.

“It was like the shark that was playing with my friend.”

Some scientists have rejected the idea of ​​”formed sharks” as an inner possible, the remains of a kind of cultural devil of animals that started with films such Jaw From the 1970s. Since the shark attacks are very rare, and there are rarely there to document the details, it is difficult to prove that individual shark is responsible for the recurrence of attacks. But in New study in Memorization messagesKalwa and his colleagues present the first evidence of his theory, by documenting three piasters that were responsible for repeating the attacks. The results of the new light shine on the character of sharks and indicate that random execution may not be an effective way to reduce shark attacks.

Clewa’s data was obtained by a mixture of luck and design. The medical staff managed to wipe the swimming wound, which was fatal by the tiger shark bite in 2022 off St. Martin, an island in the Caribbean. They did the same for the snorkeling that later survived an attack more than 50 miles. The results of the DNA test appear to match: both were victims of the same predator.

The second problematic tiger shark, which is likely to be responsible for two divers, was identified near Cocos Island in Costa Rica, by conducting an interview with boat and divers leaders, photo analysis and videos accurately. All descriptions refer to a female tiger shark called “Lagertha”, which has a distinctive white spot on its finances and showed a long behavior towards humans that can be described as curious. In the Red Sea in Egypt, the third shark – a surrounding white shark believed to be involved in many attacks – was identified by examining the photos taken by local divers for several years. Three piasters is a very small sample size through which the company’s conclusions can be extracted, but it is the beginning.

CLUA believes that sharks are not “rogue” predators that feed a taste for the human body or have to attack people, and deliberately hunt humans. Instead, they are just members of bold naturally with a tendency to endure risks. In contrast to sharks that refresh the risks that are ashamed of humans, these bold individuals are ready to experience a new prey in addition to their regular diet, a behavior that can develop as a strategy to deal with fluctuations in natural prey groups.

“I am convinced that bold animals are exploring and testing a new prey.”

However, even a bold shark must overcome his fear of people; Some may thwart an attack on a person if the water is very clear that it does not provide adequate camouflage, while others may hesitate if there are many people in the water. However, if bold sharks succeed in obtaining a meal from human killing, this behavior may be strengthened, which will repeat the attacks. Each believes that many attacks are committed by “bold” individuals, which is estimated that repeated criminals may be responsible for up to half of all attacks.

The marine behavioral environment, Jonathan Moriere of the University of Montpellier in France certificate The shark is different Personalities. However, the number of these attacks that remain the shark is responsible for ambiguity. “I am convinced that some sharks accidents are caused by specific individuals, but some may be due to random confrontations between sharks and humans,” Morer writes in an email.

For Clua, the Shark behavior of the problem refers to a new strategy to prevent attacks. He and his colleagues call for efforts to systematically hunting sharks, without killing them, to collect DNA and connect the signs or fix their dorsal fins for easy identification. Then, if the shark is bitten, the DNA can be wiped from the victim’s wound to determine the perpetrator, which can be selectively targeted and killed.

Moriere was not convinced that this solution could be widely implemented. To anyone, “You need at least a few hours and even days to get the results of the extraction of DNA and identify identity, so during that period it is likely that the shark is far and the opportunity to find it again in most cases” he writes.

Whether his approach can succeed or not, Clua hopes that he can help reduce the fear of sharks. They are not instinctive and stupid animals. They are smart animals. “They are very wise, and we are lucky to do so.”

Karenoppe / Shutterstock

• Katrina Zimmer

  Spread on January 29, 2025

  Katarina Zimmer is a journalist for an independent science and environment.

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