LED Lights May Help Deter Shark Attacks on Surfers

Australian researchers from Macquarie University have found that attaching LED strip lights to surfboards may help deter great white sharks, which are responsible for most shark-bite fatalities. In a study conducted in Mossel Bay, South Africa, the team towed seal-shaped boards with various light configurations to assess which setup attracted the least attention from sharks. The results indicated that brighter horizontal-aligned lights distorted the silhouette of the decoys, making it harder for sharks to identify prey in sunlight. This non-invasive approach could provide an alternative to traditional shark deterrents like nets and drones. While the focus was on great whites, researchers plan to investigate the effectiveness of LED lighting against other dangerous species like bull sharks and tiger sharks. With 69 unprovoked shark bites reported in 2023 alone, the development of this technology could significantly enhance swimmer and surfer safety. The study is published in the journal Current Biology.

LED Lights May Help Deter Shark Attacks on Surfers

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