ɫƵ’s James Sulikowski weighs in on shark culling for ‘Men’s Journal’
James Sulikowski, Ph.D., professor of Marine Sciences at the University of New England, was interviewed by ‘Men’s Journal’ for an article on the practice of shark culling.
Shark culling is a wildlife management concept aimed at systematically reducing a population of sharks in a given area, typically near swimming beaches or in places where numerous attacks have taken place. The thinking behind the practice is that if enough sharks are killed, particularly the largest sharks in the area, there will be less interaction with people near the shoreline.
In the article, Sulikowski explains that sharks do not intentionally bite humans, and that “our motions in the water give off a similar vibration pattern as that of a distressed marine animal.” He also notes that when a shark bites a human, the shark realizes that it is a mistake. “Even if they do initially attack because they’re looking for food, it’s usually a bite and release,” he said.
To learn more about the University of New England’s Center for Excellence in Marine Sciences, visit www.une.edu/research/msc
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