Trevor Allen
Professor Kuznetsoff
English 145
9 December 2015
Shark attacks and Global Warming
“Shark attacks occupy people’s minds like no other animal related phenomenon” (site). Recently, shark attacks on humans have seemingly exploded onto the scene, with headline after headline capturing the world’s attention with the unsettling news. The recent increase in shark attacks has quickly become a worldwide topic of concern, with scientists consistently asking the looming question of: why has there been such a sharp increase in shark attacks on humans in recent years? Humans are responsible for killing 100 million sharks annually and more than 30% of shark species around the world are endangered. So, with global shark populations in danger, why have we seen so many …show more content…
Ocean acidification does however, have behavioral effects on sharks that could amplify shark interaction with humans. A recent study published on September 17, 2014 by scientists Leon Green and Fredrick Jutfelt explored the direct effects of oceanic acidification on sharks. Researchers exposed sharks to a month of acidic water and discovered a shift in the sharks’ swimming patterns. Normally, sharks had a nocturnal swimming pattern that consisted of many starts and stops. Sharks would swim for a short period of time and rest for a short period of time, and this process was repeated throughout the night. However, sharks exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide swam throughout the entire night without stopping. This hyperactive behavior concerns scientists because sharks are burning considerably more energy than they would have in neutral water. With oceans becoming more and more acidic, sharks are burning more energy. This translates to an increased appetite in these predatory creatures and could be one of a number of factors affecting shark attacks on humans in acidic waters close to
Professor Kuznetsoff
English 145
9 December 2015
Shark attacks and Global Warming
“Shark attacks occupy people’s minds like no other animal related phenomenon” (site). Recently, shark attacks on humans have seemingly exploded onto the scene, with headline after headline capturing the world’s attention with the unsettling news. The recent increase in shark attacks has quickly become a worldwide topic of concern, with scientists consistently asking the looming question of: why has there been such a sharp increase in shark attacks on humans in recent years? Humans are responsible for killing 100 million sharks annually and more than 30% of shark species around the world are endangered. So, with global shark populations in danger, why have we seen so many …show more content…
Ocean acidification does however, have behavioral effects on sharks that could amplify shark interaction with humans. A recent study published on September 17, 2014 by scientists Leon Green and Fredrick Jutfelt explored the direct effects of oceanic acidification on sharks. Researchers exposed sharks to a month of acidic water and discovered a shift in the sharks’ swimming patterns. Normally, sharks had a nocturnal swimming pattern that consisted of many starts and stops. Sharks would swim for a short period of time and rest for a short period of time, and this process was repeated throughout the night. However, sharks exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide swam throughout the entire night without stopping. This hyperactive behavior concerns scientists because sharks are burning considerably more energy than they would have in neutral water. With oceans becoming more and more acidic, sharks are burning more energy. This translates to an increased appetite in these predatory creatures and could be one of a number of factors affecting shark attacks on humans in acidic waters close to