Latest news with #greatwhites
Forbes
4 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
Why Even Sharks Avoid Electric Rays
Unlike more agile or camouflaged species, torpedo rays tend to be slow-moving and often lie hidden ... More on the seafloor. The ocean is full of animals with clever survival strategies, from camouflage and armor to spines and toxins. But when it comes to dealing with top predators like sharks or large marine mammals, most of those defenses don't hold up. That's what makes the electric ray so fascinating. These animals, often called torpedo rays, can produce powerful electric shocks strong enough to stun prey. New research suggests those same electric pulses may help them avoid becoming a meal themselves — even from some of the most formidable predators in the ocean! Using a mix of diver observations, biologging technology and in situ experiments off the coast of California, a team of scientists have gathered compelling evidence that electric rays can repel large sharks, including great whites and tiger sharks. That's no small feat. Great whites can reach lengths over 20 feet (6 meters) and tiger sharks aren't far behind, with equally powerful jaws and few natural predators. The idea that a relatively small animal like an electric ray — usually just 2 to 3 feet long (0.6 to 0.9 meters) — can send these ocean giants packing is both surprising and a little bit exciting. Torpedo rays, also known as electric rays, are a group of cartilaginous fish found in oceans around the world, including off the coast of California. These rays belong to the family Torpedinidae and include species like the Pacific electric ray (Tetronarce californica). Unlike more agile or camouflaged species, torpedo rays tend to be slow-moving and often lie hidden on the seafloor. Their flattened bodies house specialized electric organs made of modified muscle cells called electrocytes, which generate powerful bursts of electricity, typically used to incapacitate prey such as fish and squid. Led by Dr. Yannis P. Papastamatiou of Florida International University, the researchers were studying the Pacific electric ray and tracking how often and how long these animals discharged electricity in different situations. It turns out, they behave differently depending on whether they're hunting or defending themselves. When capturing prey, electric rays released longer and more frequent bursts of electricity than they did during defensive encounters. That's likely because catching a fish requires a more sustained effort than giving a warning zap to a passing shark. Short bursts can also be reset more quickly, a useful feature when a threat may come back for a second attempt. But the energy behind these electric pulses doesn't come cheap; the electric rays seem to rely on anaerobic metabolic pathways to produce them, meaning they burn through their energy stores quickly without using oxygen. This likely limits how often and how long they can produce shocks. Still, their strategy seems to work. The scientists noted how rarely electric rays appear in the stomach contents of large sharks and combined with their bold behavior observed in the wild (i.e. rays moving around without much sign of fear), it all suggests that the shock defense is more than just a flashy trick. It could be a major reason why sharks give them space. Torpedo rays, also known as electric rays, are a group of cartilaginous fish capable of producing ... More strong electric discharges to stun prey and defend themselves from predators. Found in oceans around the world, including off the coast of California, these rays belong to the family Torpedinidae. In the wild, divers have talked about seeing electric rays zapping curious sharks that got too close, sending them flinching or swimming off. Seem unlikely, though? Afterall, what makes a shark flinch? Well, while the voltage varies depending on the species and size of the ray, some electric rays can generate discharges up to 220 volts. That's more than enough to startle even a seasoned predator! And unlike many marine animals that rely on running or hiding, electric rays often stand — or rather, float — their ground. This kind of defense is especially interesting in an evolutionary context. Marine predators like sharks have been around for hundreds of millions of years and are highly efficient hunters. So any trait that allows a relatively slow, soft-bodied animal to avoid predation has to be taken seriously. Most animals with chemical defenses or spines still end up on the menu of large predators, even if they're not the first choice, but electric rays seem to be an exception. Their ability to produce targeted, timed electric bursts appears to be one of the few strategies that truly works against sharks — something that could have big implications for how we think about shark repellents. Current shark deterrent technologies often try to mimic nature, using electric fields, magnets, or even visual patterns to keep sharks at bay. But not all of these are equally effective, especially when it comes to large, curious, or determined predators. But this new study offers a proof of concept from nature that real-time, short-duration electric pulses can trigger a strong avoidance response in even the biggest sharks. By observing how electric rays produce and deploy their shocks (i.e. how strong they are, how long they last, and when they're used) scientists could fine-tune the next generation of shark repellent devices. A well-timed jolt may be far more effective than a constant low-level field. Perhaps this opens the door to designing smarter deterrent that only activates when a shark is nearby, conserving power and minimizing interference with other marine life? While more research is needed to fully understand the range and effectiveness of these discharges, the results so far highlight just how sophisticated and specialized some ocean defenses can be. Nature has already figured out how to make a shark think twice. The next step is translating that evolutionary advantage into practical tools for human use — whether for protecting divers, reducing shark bycatch, or deterring sharks from coming too close to beaches. For now, it seems like the old rule still applies: don't mess with something that can zap you. Even if you're a shark.
National Post
03-07-2025
- Science
- National Post
Great White Sharks: How to lower (the already tiny) odds you'll get nibbled at the beach this summer
Harbouring secret fears of being chomped by a giant fanged sea beast while splashing about unathletically at the beach is very human. Especially as the movie Jaws marks its 50th anniversary. Article content But that doesn't make it rational. Article content 'Any time you go to the beach you have a greater chance of tripping over a sand castle and dying, choking on the food you're eating, getting struck by lightning or getting sucked out by a rip current and drowning than getting bit by a shark,' said Neil Hammerschlag, a Nova Scotia marine ecologist. Article content Article content The curious thing about the great computers wobbling atop our necks is that knowing a fear of what lurks in the deep is irrational will do little to dispel it. Article content Nova Scotia is at the northern end of the great white shark's range. With the waters all around us warming and their population increasing due to protections against hunting them, more have been coming in recent years. Article content Biologists expect that to continue. Article content Most shark species stay out in the deep water off Nova Scotia. Great whites will often come-in closer to shore as they hunt for seals. Article content So more great whites will mean more sightings. Article content A video of a great white at a lobster fishing boat off Inverness circulated widely this spring. On Wednesday Queensland Beach on Saint Margarets Bay was closed for two hours after a fin sighting, though it wasn't confirmed to be a great white. Article content Article content Article content 'You remember being at the grocery store and your mom told you to look with your eyes, not your hands?' said Hammerschlag. Article content 'That's because humans look with their hands, they want to feel an object they're curious about. Sharks don't have hands, they look with their teeth. Their teeth are sensory structures.' Article content Great white sharks have up to 300 teeth. Article content In cases where they have bitten humans, it's often been to investigate rather than to eat us. In 2021, a 28-year-old woman swimming from a boat off Cape Breton's Margaree Island was bitten by a great white shark. She was airlifted to hospital and survived. Article content While humans aren't on the shark's menu and so often get released after a probing bite (which still can be lethal), Hammerschlag's advice is to avoid becoming a subject of their interest.
Telegraph
18-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
I just don't get people who love sharks. They are truly hideous killers
No matter how many times I look at them, it's always the same: the sense of shock and disgust that something so truly hideous, so purely monstrous, could stalk the earth, and even worse, could begin with alarming frequency to stalk the waters around my childhood home of northern Massachusetts. No longer just the menace of beaches Down Under, the great whites are actually coming for us all. The marine research group Ocearch has even predicted their arrival on English beaches. 'We believe they should be moving up past Brest [in Brittany, France] and Cornwall,' said Chris Fischer, one of their researchers. Heaven forbid! But the man of steel and naturalist Lewis Pugh takes a different view, along with plenty of marine conservationists who see sharks, even the great white, as primarily victims, to be preserved at all costs, no matter the human lives and limbs they claim per year. On Thursday, in critical homage to the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's Jaws, which instilled the universal terror of great whites, Pugh embarked on one of his marathon swims around Martha's Vineyard off the New England coast. This is where Jaws was filmed and in these waters, thanks to the nightmarish creatures' drift northward in search of seals, they are now regularly spotted. His 62-mile circumnavigation will take 12 days, and on each day he will be speaking to audiences about the importance of sharks. 'It was a film about sharks attacking humans and, for 50 years, we have been attacking sharks,' Pugh said. 'It's madness. We need to respect them.' What's madness to me is the idea that I might encounter one of these figures from hell in waters I used to enjoy without a second thought. What's madness to me is that more swimmers will lose their lives this year when a great white mistakes them (so we are told) for a seal.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I just don't get people who love sharks. They are truly hideous killers
No matter how many times I look at them, it's always the same: the sense of shock and disgust that something so truly hideous, so purely monstrous, could stalk the earth, and even worse, could begin with alarming frequency to stalk the waters around my childhood home of northern Massachusetts. No longer just the menace of beaches Down Under, the great whites are actually coming for us all. The marine research group Ocearch has even predicted their arrival on English beaches. 'We believe they should be moving up past Brest [in Brittany, France] and Cornwall,' said Chris Fischer, one of their researchers. Heaven forbid! But the man of steel and naturalist Lewis Pugh takes a different view, along with plenty of marine conservationists who see sharks, even the great white, as primarily victims, to be preserved at all costs, no matter the human lives and limbs they claim per year. On Thursday, in critical homage to the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's Jaws, which instilled the universal terror of great whites, Pugh embarked on one of his marathon swims around Martha's Vineyard off the New England coast. This is where Jaws was filmed and in these waters, thanks to the nightmarish creatures' drift northward in search of seals, they are now regularly spotted. His 62-mile circumnavigation will take 12 days, and on each day he will be speaking to audiences about the importance of sharks. 'It was a film about sharks attacking humans and, for 50 years, we have been attacking sharks,' Pugh said. What's madness to me is the idea that I might encounter one of these figures from hell in waters I used to enjoy without a second thought. What's madness to me is that more swimmers will lose their lives this year when a great white mistakes them (so we are told) for a seal. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
