In a concerning spate of shark-related incidents, four attacks have occurred along the east coast of Australia within a 48-hour period, triggering widespread alarm and calls for action. However, experts are urging a more nuanced approach, cautioning against knee-jerk reactions such as shark culling.
The recent attacks, which have left several swimmers and surfers injured, have been primarily attributed to the presence of bull sharks drawn to the area by favourable environmental conditions. Following heavy rainfall in Sydney, the influx of freshwater created the ideal breeding ground for these predators, attracting baitfish and, in turn, the sharks themselves.
“This is the closest – in both proximity and in time – series of shark bites that I’ve ever seen in my 20 years of research,” said Chris Pepin-Neff, an associate professor of public policy at the University of Sydney. “There’s clearly an attractant in the water, and a ‘perfect storm’ of low salinity freshwater could have created a ‘biodiversity explosion’.”
While the recent incidents have sparked calls for shark culls, experts have unanimously rejected such measures, arguing that they are ineffective and do little to improve public safety. “It just doesn’t work,” Pepin-Neff stated. “It makes politicians feel better, and it makes activists feel better, and it makes nobody in the water any safer.”
Instead, researchers suggest a more proactive approach that focuses on understanding and mitigating the underlying factors that contribute to these encounters. This may involve better public education, the creation of shark-proof enclosures, and a more pragmatic understanding of the ocean’s inherent risks.
“In Australia, we’ve got to treat the beach like the bush,” Pepin-Neff said. “Australians know how to navigate the wild. We just need to reinforce that the ocean is still the wild.”
Ultimately, the experts emphasise that shark attacks, while concerning, remain relatively rare occurrences, and that the ocean’s dangers must be approached with a more balanced perspective. “There is a problem in being able to meaningfully describe what happened without using the words ‘shark attack’,” Pepin-Neff explained. “And that creates a more emotional community experience that is slightly different to what actually happened.”
