Why more juvenile sharks off California’s coast is a good thing

Recent reports of as many as 25 great white sharks sighted off the California coast in one afternoon is enough to scare the bejesus out of most people. But that’s the wrong way to look at it, says Chris Lowe, Ph.D., professor of marine biology and director of the California State University, Long Beach Shark Lab. In fact, the increase in the number of juvenile sharks is a positive sign of a recovering shark population.

Over past 50 years, sharks — and specifically great whites — have been effectively ou​​sted from their natural environment by humans; water pollution has made their usual living spaces inhabitable. However, the recent spike in juvenile great white shark sightings means that legislation like the Clean Water Act and the Marine Life Protection Act have proven effective in protecting and boosting marine life off the state’s coast.

Don’t Believe the Hype
The media mean well in alerting the public about the recent sharp increase in sharks near California’s coasts, but says Dr. Lowe, "they’re not clarifying that these are babies and they are using our beaches as nurseries. These beaches are being used as cradles," he explains. "This is why these […]

Full article: Why more juvenile sharks off California’s coast is a good thing