We all love the beach, but sometimes the thought of who is plying the waters beneath the surface can give us a chill—in fact, are we jerks for telling you that Cape Cod sharks spend more than half their time in shallow water, according to the Cape Code Times? But fear not, vacationers! Despite reports of gnarly shark attacks in the news this summer, scientists are attaching improved sensors to great white sharks in Cape Cod so we can track them better, know where they are, and keep the beaches safe, as reported by AP News.
These improved sensors include cameras and the ability to determine the shark’s direction of travel, depth and even speed, providing second-by-second data. Around 300 sharks are currently tagged with acoustic sensors that “report” to receivers along the coast. Whenever a receiver dings, lifeguards and public safety officials are notified so that beaches can be cleared if necessary.
So who has the nerves of steel to tag the sharks? The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the nonprofit Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
As AP reports, scientist and conservancy staff member Megan Winton says the information delivered by the sensors makes researchers feel like they’re “essentially just riding on the back of a white shark.” Take a moment of silence to digest that image, then continue on with another unsettling quote from Winton: “[Sharks] slowly patrol the shoreline very methodically until they essentially have a chance to make their move.” For many of you reading this, a sobering thought will have arisen: we get great advance warnings on the tagged sharks...but not all of them have been tagged. And while global cooling killed the megalodon, will global warming bring it back? Watch out for The Meg out there.
We're just yanking your chain. It's totally safe out there. Totally. Safe.
Want power in your own flippers? Download the conservancy’s free Sharktivity app; it’s like a Life 360 app to report shark sightings and even track your favorites.