Australia’s beaches have been rocked by a series of shark incidents, raising questions about safety and how to manage shark populations.
In Western Australia, 37-year-old surfer Steven Payne was mauled by a great white shark in chest-deep water about 50 metres from shore.
In Queensland, authorities have issued warnings following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, predicting that turbulent conditions and increased runoff could push sharks closer to beaches.
So what’s with all the shark attacks recently?
On Friday morning’s episode of The Briefing, we talked to Dr Leonardo Guida, shark campaign manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, to dive into what’s happening and how we can stay safe at the beach.
Dr Guida explained that shark bites are “inherently random and rare”.
“There’s no silver bullet that’s going to say this will protect you from a shark bite. And you will never have 100 per cent protection at the beach. It’s just impossible.” he said.
With more hot weather expected this weekend, Dr Guida urged beachgoers to stay informed about local shark activity, swim in groups, and follow all safety guidelines.
He also mentioned that a range of protective measures have been put in place, including shark tagging and tracking, beach alerts, and even first aid kits at some beaches in WA.
“It’s a bit like Swiss cheese,” he explained.
“Each individual approach might have a few holes or flaws, but when you layer them on top of one another, it creates a much stronger strategy. We need to mitigate the risks as much as possible with a solid, evidence-backed plan.”
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