It’s not your imagination. Shark sightings really are increasing off the California coast, thanks to warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures driven by this year’s El Niño. But have no fear — California State University, Long Beach’s Shark Lab has a plan.
Researchers have developed a new Shark Surveillance Bot (SSB) designed to scan California waters for the presence of sharks. The device is still a prototype, but researchers hope it will eventually provide real-time information to lifeguards to help improve beach safety.
“Our data suggests that there are sharks around our beaches all the time without incident, but knowing what sharks, and how many are out there, helps lifeguards make better decisions in beach safety operations and in advising the public,” said Shark Lab Director Christopher Lowe.
The surveillance bot will be especially useful for great whites — the apex predator of the Pacific coast.
“The device will listen for tagged great white sharks and test the water for shark environmental DNA, genetic identifiers found in shed skin, scales, blood and excrement,” according to KTLA.
“The robot will also have an aerial drone nesting on its back to provide a bird’s-eye view of the water. When complete, the shark-detecting robot will stream the data and 360-degree video back to the CSULB Shark Lab through Wi-Fi.”
Read more about the new Shark Surveillance Bot and the future of shark monitoring here.