Computer model showed why sharks attack surfers

Dozens of people are attacked by sharks every year. Although the number of attacks is decreasing year by year, for

tourist cities even one incidentis a heavy drama – it discourages tourists. Now scientists say they have used computer modeling to confirm an old theory that sharks attack surfers because they mistake them for seals.

A large percentage of attacks occur among largewhite sharks that attack surfers while they are sitting on boards or rowing oars. When viewed from below, the silhouette of the surfers resembles that of pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) – and these animals are the natural prey of the great white shark.

Led by researcher Laura Ryan, scientists fromAustralia's Macquarie University recently set out to explore this theory more deeply. They used a large number of cameras to capture underwater video of objects such as surfboards, people on surfboards, hands splashing on the surface of the water, and other situations.

The footage was then analyzed withusing computer models based on existing neuroscience data on sharks, simulating the young great white shark's perception of the shapes and movements of various objects. The analysis confirmed that juvenile great white sharks do tend to confuse people on surfboards with pinnipeds, as they likely perceive them as being very similar– this is especially true for people on short boards.

Changing the color of the boards is unlikely to help, sinceIt is believed that sharks are color blind. However, scientists are considering other preventive measures, such as adding high-intensity LEDs to the underside of the boards to “break” their silhouette.

Source: newatlas

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