Shark Trivia

Did You Know that Sharks are often attracted to boats because….

….they may be attracted to the electromagnetic impulse by their motorboat engines? Some shark experts and scientists believe they are attracted to pulses emitted by some boat motors because of the keen ability to detect electromagnetic fields with their Ampullae of Lorenzini. Some boat motors likely give off pulses that are similar to those of marine animals that a shark would consider prey.

….they associate the boat with trails of fish scent used in chumming? Chum is bait consisting of fish parts and blood that is cast into the water to attract fish, particularly sharks. Chumming is sometimes used to attract sharks for ecological research by scientists. It is also illegal in some parts of the world because of the danger it can pose by conditioning sharks to associate feeding with the presence of humans.

….they associate the boat with fishing? Some fishermen use small cut pieces of sardines for bait in order to get shoaling fish to come near to a fishing line. Sharks may then associate the caught fish on the line as an opportunity for a meal.