Proven electronic shark deterrents prevent deaths and injuries
Announcement posted by 360PR 24 May 2021
New research published in the Royal Society of Open Science journal has confirmed that Ocean Guardian’s personal electronic shark deterrent devices save lives. In the paper titled “Predicting potential future reduction in shark bites on people”, scientists say that the use of Ocean Guardian’s personal electronic shark deterrents is an effective way to prevent the future deaths and injuries of up to 1063 Australians over the next 50 years. In 2020, Australia suffered the most shark attack fatalities in 86 years, causing a significant economic and emotional impact on the communities in which they occurred.
Ocean Guardian is the world’s leading shark deterrent technology company. Since 2001 the company’s Shark Shield Technology has protected tens of thousands of ocean lovers and prevented the unnecessary killing of animals from environmentally fatal shark nets, drum-lines and shark culling. Ocean Guardian’s Shark Shield Technology is the only scientifically proven electrical shark deterrent supported by peer-reviewed published research, and successful in deterring Great Whites. The technology is so effective government has approved the devices for consumer rebates. Nothing is more effective.
In a recent interview with Surf Lifesaving South Australia Dr Charlie Huveneers from Flinders University explained the facts around electronic deterrents saying, “…the electric deterrents can reduce shark bites by about 60%. People will automatically think that the 40% is when the sharks approach at speed, and maybe with a predatory intent and we actually found that it’s not the case, even when the sharks approach at speed with a predatory intent, the electric deterrents can still actually stop a shark when its approaching very fast. And when it’s within half a metre, the shark can and will actually turn around and stop that predatory approach in some situations, and that’s actually increased with the electric deterrent as well.”
Sharks have short-range electrical receptors in their snouts used for finding food. Shark Shield Technology is used to create a powerful three-dimensional electrical field which causes spasms in these sensitive receptors turning sharks away. There are no known harmful effects on sharks or humans.
Lindsay Lyon, CEO of Ocean Guardian says, “This new research adds additional scientific evidence to the shark mitigation strategy deployed by the Western Australian State Government in providing consumers rebates for proven electronic shark deterrents as good economic policy. Over 70% of shark fatalities in WA over the past fifteen years have been surfers and divers, and providing individual personal protection is without question the best shark mitigation strategy. We hope this research encourages other state and federal governments to recommend the use of proven personal electronic shark deterrent.”
The researchers analysed per-capita shark bites around Australia from 1900 to 2020 and developed models to estimate the preventative impact of Ocean Guardian electronic shark deterrents if they were worn by water users, to predict how many shark bites could be avoided. Lead author Professor Corey Bradshaw of Flinders University says efforts to reduce the risk of shark bites, even if they are extremely rare, are valuable with proven electronic shark deterrents capable of reducing the likelihood of a bite by about 60%, potentially saving hundreds of lives over the next 50 years.
In NSW last month Northern Beaches Council voted to pass a motion urging the state government to abolish the shark nets at its local beaches. This motion comes after new data released by the Animal Justice Party revealed 290 animals had died in Northern Beaches shark nets over the past nine years, including 18 whales and dolphins, 21 turtles, and 224 threatened or protected species. Statistics published by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) show that 93% of all animals caught in their shark nets on NSW beaches were bycatch and that 55% of the total catch died.
www.oceanguardian.com.au
About Ocean Guardian:
For further information or to set up an interview with Lindsay Lyon please contact:
Lisa Solomons @ 360 PR: +61 416 175 518 or lisa@360pr.com.au
Ocean Guardian is the world’s leading shark deterrent technology company. Since 2001 the company’s Shark Shield Technology has protected tens of thousands of ocean lovers and prevented the unnecessary killing of animals from environmentally fatal shark nets, drum-lines and shark culling. Ocean Guardian’s Shark Shield Technology is the only scientifically proven electrical shark deterrent supported by peer-reviewed published research, and successful in deterring Great Whites. The technology is so effective government has approved the devices for consumer rebates. Nothing is more effective.
In a recent interview with Surf Lifesaving South Australia Dr Charlie Huveneers from Flinders University explained the facts around electronic deterrents saying, “…the electric deterrents can reduce shark bites by about 60%. People will automatically think that the 40% is when the sharks approach at speed, and maybe with a predatory intent and we actually found that it’s not the case, even when the sharks approach at speed with a predatory intent, the electric deterrents can still actually stop a shark when its approaching very fast. And when it’s within half a metre, the shark can and will actually turn around and stop that predatory approach in some situations, and that’s actually increased with the electric deterrent as well.”
Sharks have short-range electrical receptors in their snouts used for finding food. Shark Shield Technology is used to create a powerful three-dimensional electrical field which causes spasms in these sensitive receptors turning sharks away. There are no known harmful effects on sharks or humans.
Lindsay Lyon, CEO of Ocean Guardian says, “This new research adds additional scientific evidence to the shark mitigation strategy deployed by the Western Australian State Government in providing consumers rebates for proven electronic shark deterrents as good economic policy. Over 70% of shark fatalities in WA over the past fifteen years have been surfers and divers, and providing individual personal protection is without question the best shark mitigation strategy. We hope this research encourages other state and federal governments to recommend the use of proven personal electronic shark deterrent.”
The researchers analysed per-capita shark bites around Australia from 1900 to 2020 and developed models to estimate the preventative impact of Ocean Guardian electronic shark deterrents if they were worn by water users, to predict how many shark bites could be avoided. Lead author Professor Corey Bradshaw of Flinders University says efforts to reduce the risk of shark bites, even if they are extremely rare, are valuable with proven electronic shark deterrents capable of reducing the likelihood of a bite by about 60%, potentially saving hundreds of lives over the next 50 years.
In NSW last month Northern Beaches Council voted to pass a motion urging the state government to abolish the shark nets at its local beaches. This motion comes after new data released by the Animal Justice Party revealed 290 animals had died in Northern Beaches shark nets over the past nine years, including 18 whales and dolphins, 21 turtles, and 224 threatened or protected species. Statistics published by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) show that 93% of all animals caught in their shark nets on NSW beaches were bycatch and that 55% of the total catch died.
www.oceanguardian.com.au
About Ocean Guardian:
Ocean Guardian is the world’s leading shark deterrent technology company. Since 2001 the company’s Shark Shield Technology has protected tens of thousands of ocean lovers and prevented the unnecessary killing of animals from environmentally fatal shark nets, drumlines and shark culling. Ocean Guardian’s Shark Shield Technology is the only scientifically proven electrical shark deterrent supported by peer reviewed published research, and successful in deterring Great Whites. The technology is so effective government has approved the devices for consumer rebates. Nothing is more effective.
For further information or to set up an interview with Lindsay Lyon please contact:
Lisa Solomons @ 360 PR: +61 416 175 518 or lisa@360pr.com.au