Australian scientists say fixing LED light strips to the bottom of surfboards can prevent great white shark attacks.
A study conducted in Mossel Bay, South Africa involved towing seal-shaped boards equipped with different light configurations behind a boat to see which attracted the most attention.
Researchers from Macquarie University in New South Wales said the light distorted the silhouette of their “lure” on the ocean surface and limited the great white sharks’ ability to see in sunlight. .
They added that lights could be a non-invasive means of shark restraint, unlike nets or drones.
Lead researcher Laura Ryan said great white sharks are responsible for most human shark bite deaths and often attack their prey from below. This means that sharks sometimes mistake the surfer’s silhouette for that of a seal.
Researchers say it is important to see whether LED lighting is effective in deterring other shark species from attacking humans, including bull sharks and tiger sharks.
Most attacks involve people surfing and participating in other board sports. There were 69 unprovoked shark bites in 2023, mostly in the US, Australia and South Africa, 10 of which were fatal, according to statistics.
Australian research, published in the journal Current Biology, involves testing three different intensities of LEDs.
Ms Ryan said research showed horizontally lit lights were less likely to be targeted.
“Our results demonstrate the importance of dark silhouettes against a lighter background in hunting behavior in great white sharks, and that changing silhouettes may form the basis for this technique,” the researchers said. New non-invasive shark deterrent technology to protect human lives.”
They added that it is interesting that great white sharks are least attracted to visible lights because other studies have found that some species are attracted to bright, reflective objects.
Researchers are currently building prototype light strips to test on surfboards and kayaks.
