Researchers in Australia are now trying to marketing a
wet-suit that will make human invisible to shark. Patterns in white and various
shades of blues are colored on wet-suit and even stickers that can be applied to
surfboards, dive tanks, and kayaks to avoid shark attack. However, this kind of
wet-suit will probably affect a shark ability to visually detect a human, but it
does not prevent sharks from using their other senses. Sharks also rely on
other senses like smell, taste, and sounds. The University of Western Australia’s
Ocean Institute shows that there are 17 species of sharks that are color blind.
Tiger sharks and bull sharks for example are blind of vision. The colors that
are being applied to the wet-suits to prevent sharks are probably going to
become useless if a person happen to face color blind sharks. Researchers were
also trying to mimic the appearance of sea creatures such as sea snakes or
lion fish by released a camo suit with black, blue, and white stripes. Since shark
doesn't prey on those creatures, they might not take interest in a human
wearing it. However, the director of the Florida program for shark research
George Burgess says that such suit might have a negative effect. Because sharks
have a good ability to see contrast between dark and light, moving striped
objects would be very attractive to them. So exactly how can we protect
ourselves form sharks? Burgess says that the only way to protect ourselves is
to stay out of the water. Most sharks doesn't look for human because human aren't
part of the nature world that they live in.
Camo Suits can be uses as a secondary protection, but it’s
not something that you can total rely on since sharks tends to use many senses
to catch their prey. Hopefully in the future, something like a mobile shark
detector could be invented so swimmers or surfers could enjoy being in the
water without getting attack because the detector could detect sharks from
miles away? Hmm…who would know how far science will take us.
I think shark attacks are just one of the risks you take by stepping into the ocean. These camo wet suits appear to be ok because they don't seem to harm the sharks in any way. More research should probably be done with the suits before they are available for purchase just incase they do in fact attract the sharks instead of protect us from them.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of camouflage wetsuits is very interesting. Humans have been using camouflage for years to conceal ourselves, however typically on land. Anyone that has even watched five minutes of shark week can probably agree that they would be willing to try a camouflage wetsuit if it would protect them against the painful and life threatening shark attacks. I do wonder though, how can this really be tested? There are no controlled shark environments that you could test the efficiency of these suits in. Unless of course, you used an aquarium, but most of those sharks were born in captivity and so therefore do not have the same behaviors as sharks you find in the oceans around the world. Also, you would have to take into account the different types of sharks. Not even researchers can agree on whether this would be an affective way to protect yourself from shark attacks. The only way to come to a verdict would be to test them, and that in itself is a risk. Although I find the idea of camo wetsuits very intriguing, I would have to agree with George Burgess. The only way to make sure you are 100% safe from shark attacks is to stay out of the water, know the warning signs and ocean conditions that attract sharks, and never swim alone.
ReplyDeleteThis really caught my eye because yes it is a smart and cool idea but sharks in my opinion are a lot cleverer than we think. Though it may prevent them from attacking by having the wet suits there is always a risk when entering the ocean waters. Camo wet suits are a very good way to help prevent attacks but I agree with Carson above about George Burgess's statement. That if you just stay out of the water then you will not have a problem of being attacked by a shark. I may be proven wrong and the only way to know that is for it to be tested and then we will truly know. Camo suits are a secondary protection like Cammie said and I agree that scientists will invent something some day to keep us safe and be able to swim without having to be scared of being attacked by a shark.
ReplyDeleteBefore when I took a look at this article, I thought the idea was interesting since human many years back have been invented camouflage materials before and it works. However, not only will shark looks at the appearance of their prey, they will also feels our pulse that we give out under water. Carson had a very good point, how exactly are they going to test this? Maybe a water proof robot that build to be close to a human with pulse and everything else? How interesting.
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