Using drones, researchers from the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, conducted a study on juvenile white sharks along the Southern California coastline to observe their proximity to humans in the water.
The findings revealed that these sharks swim remarkably close, almost within the range where a bite could occur. However, despite their proximity, it was found to be safe. According to the Shark Lab, there were no reported shark bites across the 26 surveyed beaches between January 2019 and March 2021.
During the course of approximately 1,500 drone flights spanning two years, the researchers discovered that the juvenile white sharks primarily congregated in two areas: southern Santa Barbara County and central San Diego County. In contrast to adult white sharks, which are typically solitary creatures, the younger sharks displayed a tendency to swim near humans.
The researchers documented that on 97% of the surveyed days, the juvenile sharks were observed in close proximity to humans. Their swimming patterns often brought them within 50 yards (45.72 meters) of the wave breaks, bringing them closest to surfers and stand-up paddle boarders.
“Most of the time water users didn’t even know the sharks were there, but we could easily see them from the air,” said Patrick Rex, a Cal State Long Beach graduate student who led the study.
The researchers confirmed that surfers, swimmers and sharks can coexist peacefully but “we never expected to see so many encounters every day with no incidents” of bites, said Chris Lowe, a marine biology professor and the Shark Lab’s director.
“It’s not just about sharks, it’s about people,” Lowe said. “This study may change people’s perception of the risk sharks pose to people that share the ocean with them.”
