Coexisting with sharks: a novel, socially acceptable and non-lethal shark mitigation approach.

ABSTRACT: Conflict between humans and large predators is a longstanding challenge that can present negative consequences for humans and wildlife. Sharks have a global distribution and are considered to pose a potential threat to humans; concurrently many shark species are themselves threatened. Developing strategies for coexistence between humans and this keystone group is imperative. We assess blimp surveillance as a technique to simply and effectively reduce shark encounters at ocean beaches and determine the social acceptance of this technique as compared to an established mitigation strategy-shark meshing. We demonstrate the suitability of blimps for risk mitigation, with detection probabilities of shark analogues by professional lifeguards of 0.93 in ideal swimming conditions. Social surveys in

SUBMITTER: Adams KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7562904 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature