Episode 10: White sharks do not mistake surfers for seals
For way too long there was the assumption that white sharks bite surfers because they mistake them for seals when looked at the surfers from below. This is incorrect. This episode gives a short summary of our scientific paper published in the "Journal of Marine Biology" where we disproved this 'theory of mistaken identity.'
Episode 9: What to do when a shark comes too close
The internet is full with suggestions and recommendations of what to do when a shark comes too close. Most of them are wrong. Here, I give a rundown of suggestions that really work. All of them have been tested over and over.
Episode 8: The early days of shark-human interaction
It all started out of a frustration. Nobody had a handle on sharks when they approached, nobody knew what to look for, how to interpret or how to test... This episode gives a small idea of how shark-human interaction got started.
Episode 7: Hearing in sharks and its use when close to humans
Sharks can hear quite well but against common wisdom, should the water be noisy (breaking waves, breakers hit rocks etc.), human sounds can hardly be heard... nevertheless up close shark hearing can play an important rule.
Episode 6: Different surroundings, different problems
There is a difference if we go swimming at a beach, a channel or e.g., close to a fishing pier. Although the same factors can be found at different sites, each site also carries its unique set of circumstance that may lure in sharks, make an interaction more difficult, and so on. This episode is an introduction to the topic as such, and will be continued.
Episode 5: On the issue of conditioning sharks through feeding
About feeding and conditioning in sharks. Do they really get “aggressive” if feeding stops? What type of feeding procedures are out there? Which ones are suitable, which are not. A first overview.
Episode 4: Thoughts on the first few seconds of an encounter with a shark
In this episode I briefly talk about the first seconds of an encounter and what type of fears influencing them. Furthermore, I introduce inter zone, inner and outer circles, their meaning and usage.
Episode 3: About the different motivations why sharks bite
This episode explains the different motivations that can lead to a bite, and why the environment in which an incident occurs is paramount.
Episode 2: Some thoughts on shark incidents
In this episode I talk about why the word “attack” is a misnomer when it comes to sharks, why the old incident classification of “bump & bite,” “hit & run” and “sneak” is wrong, where this wrongful picture of the seemingly dangerous animals originated from, and other related aspects.
Episode 1: About “LetsTalkShark”
“LetsTalkShark” is about shark-human interaction, discussed and viewed from every angle possible: from face to face interactions, “dos & don’ts,” bite incidents, as well as behavioral aspects and body language.