Shark sightings, once very infrequent, have become much more common on New York beaches after sharks started feeding on bait fish dangerously close to beachgoers. New York is intensifying its shark patrol efforts, sometimes temporarily closing beaches.
In past summers, catching sight of a shark near the beach was extremely rare. Lifeguards were expected to look out for any fins in the water, or listen to occasional shark-sighting stories from beachgoers.
Since then, the situation has changed. Now, New York beaches have become much more careful about the shark situation. Sharks are monitored using boats, helicopters, jet skis, drones, and even online tracking. For instance, lifeguards are using tracking technology to keep an eye on a 4,000 pound, 17-foot-long Great White shark named Mary Lee.
Don Calvin, the Hempstead town supervisor, says “When the mako [shark] washed ashore, that spurred concerns from residents, so we wanted them to rest assured our people are out there taking all these precautions, that everything’s being monitored and we’re going above and beyond.”
Cary Epstein, who works at Jones beach in Long Island, New York, has started monitoring the waters. His fellow lifeguard got gashed in the leg, likely by a shark. After this incident, Mr. Epstein started scanning the waters with his personal drone. Others followed suit, using drone squads to scour the water for sharks.
“In my 25 years as a lifeguard, we never had to do this,” remarked Mr. Epstein. “This isn’t ‘Jaws,’ we’re not talking about a great white, man-eating machine — but if a thresher shark comes through and takes a nibble on your foot, that could be a problem.”
The department is also taking other measures to prevent shark incidents. For instance, lifeguards are now going through training, learning how to tell more dangerous sharks from less dangerous sharks. In addition, lifeguards are also packing tourniquets in case of a shark bite emergency.
Yet increased shark patrols face opposition from shark experts. They say shark attacks or bites are very unusual, and that more shark patrols only serve to frighten beachgoer.
Hans Walters, a field scientist who studies sharks, thinks that there are more shark sightings because of the increase in shark tracking.
“These sharks are not looking for people,” he says. “They’ve been prowling the ocean for millions of years and there are no more sharks here this year, or last year, or the year before that. We’re just looking for them more.”
Link: N.Y. Lifeguards Now Watch for Sharks, Facing Dramatic Increase in Sightings – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
In past summers, catching sight of a shark near the beach was extremely rare. Lifeguards were expected to look out for any fins in the water, or listen to occasional shark-sighting stories from beachgoers.
Since then, the situation has changed. Now, New York beaches have become much more careful about the shark situation. Sharks are monitored using boats, helicopters, jet skis, drones, and even online tracking. For instance, lifeguards are using tracking technology to keep an eye on a 4,000 pound, 17-foot-long Great White shark named Mary Lee.
Don Calvin, the Hempstead town supervisor, says “When the mako [shark] washed ashore, that spurred concerns from residents, so we wanted them to rest assured our people are out there taking all these precautions, that everything’s being monitored and we’re going above and beyond.”
Cary Epstein, who works at Jones beach in Long Island, New York, has started monitoring the waters. His fellow lifeguard got gashed in the leg, likely by a shark. After this incident, Mr. Epstein started scanning the waters with his personal drone. Others followed suit, using drone squads to scour the water for sharks.
“In my 25 years as a lifeguard, we never had to do this,” remarked Mr. Epstein. “This isn’t ‘Jaws,’ we’re not talking about a great white, man-eating machine — but if a thresher shark comes through and takes a nibble on your foot, that could be a problem.”
The department is also taking other measures to prevent shark incidents. For instance, lifeguards are now going through training, learning how to tell more dangerous sharks from less dangerous sharks. In addition, lifeguards are also packing tourniquets in case of a shark bite emergency.
Yet increased shark patrols face opposition from shark experts. They say shark attacks or bites are very unusual, and that more shark patrols only serve to frighten beachgoer.
Hans Walters, a field scientist who studies sharks, thinks that there are more shark sightings because of the increase in shark tracking.
“These sharks are not looking for people,” he says. “They’ve been prowling the ocean for millions of years and there are no more sharks here this year, or last year, or the year before that. We’re just looking for them more.”
Link: N.Y. Lifeguards Now Watch for Sharks, Facing Dramatic Increase in Sightings – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
