Ocean coasts are rapidly urbanizing, but how can human presence affect species?
Scientists have explained that some animals, suchlike pigeons and raccoons, live comfortably in cities. These species, referred to as "urban exploiters", often become addicted to human garbage for food. Other animals, known as "urban adapted", may partly use urbanized areas, but mostly live in nature. And some species, like wolves, on the contrary, avoid anthropogenic impact.
Few researchers have studied the movementsoceanic predators due to urbanization. But because other scientists have shown that land-based predators avoid cities, we expected sharks to do the same, said Neil Hammerschlag, director of the UM Shark Research and Conservation Program and lead author of the study. “We were surprised to find that the sharks we tracked spent so much time near the lights and sounds of a busy city, often close to shore, regardless of the time of day.” The researchers concluded that the behavior of tracked sharks resembled those of "adapted" sharks. The authors of the study suggest that sharks may be attracted to shore by activities on land, such as discarding fish carcasses.
Sharks approaching the shore can have consequencesfor both sharks and humans. "By spending so much time close to shore, sharks are at risk of exposure to toxic pollutants as well as fishing, which can affect their health and survival," the scientists said. Although shark bites by humans are rare, the study also points to areas near the coast that are best avoided.
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