HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Get ready to celebrate Shark Awareness Day on Sunday, July 14! This special day is all about learning cool and important facts about our underwater friends – sharks!
Whether you're a visitor or a local resident in Hawaiʻi, there's so much to discover about these amazing creatures.
Dr. Andrew Rossiter, the director of the Waikīkī Aquarium and a professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, has a lot of fascinating information to share about sharks. He loves helping people understand and respect these incredible animals.
The sharks of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi is home to about 40 different types of sharks! Thanks to our beautiful reefs, deep waters, and being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, we get a wide variety of shark species. Some sharks live in shallow waters, while others are found far out in the ocean or in deep waters close to the islands.
If you're swimming, surfing, or paddleboarding, you might encounter Blacktip Reef Sharks and Whitetip Reef Sharks. These sharks are easy to recognize because of the black and white tips on their fins.
They are usually not aggressive, but it's important not to provoke them. If you're spearfishing and a shark shows interest, just leave the fish and swim away.
Tiger sharks are another type you might see, but they're a bit scarier. These big sharks can grow up to 20-25 feet long!
Dr. Rossiter advises, "If you see a tiger shark, keep it in sight and leave the water as soon as possible. Don't splash around and try to leave as a group for safety."
Every year, a third of the pregnant large female tiger sharks migrate from the Northwestern Hawaiʻi Islands to give birth and mate in Hawaiʻi waters. This usually happens in the fall, so there are more tiger shark sightings and encounters during this time.
Why are sharks important?
Did you know that sharks are like the doctors of the ocean? They play a super important role in keeping our ocean ecosystems healthy.
Sharks are often called the apex predators of the ocean, which means they are at the top of the food chain. But their role is more than just being big predators.
Dr. Rossiter explained, "Sharks remove sick or injured fish, preventing the spread of disease and ensuring only the healthy fish thrive. This keeps the reef ecosystems in tip-top condition."
But how do sharks help?
- Controlling fish and marine life populations: Sharks hunt and eat weaker, sick, or injured fish. By doing this, they make sure that only the strongest and healthiest fish survive and reproduce. This natural selection helps maintain a healthy and balanced fish population.
- Preventing disease spread: Sick fish can spread diseases to other fish. Sharks help stop this by eating the sick fish before the disease can spread. This is like having a doctor in the ocean who stops illnesses from becoming a big problem.
- Maintaining coral reefs: Healthy fish populations are crucial for coral reefs. Some fish help clean the reefs by eating algae that can overgrow and harm corals. By keeping fish populations healthy, sharks indirectly help coral reefs stay vibrant and full of life.
- Balancing the food web: Sharks also control the populations of other predators and prey. This balance is important because if one species becomes too numerous, it can disrupt the entire ecosystem. Sharks help keep everything in check.
The impact of sharks goes beyond just the fish they eat. When sharks keep fish populations healthy, it creates a ripple effect throughout the entire ecosystem.
- Healthy fish and marine life populations: With fewer sick fish, the overall fish population becomes stronger and more resilient.
- Thriving coral reefs: Healthy fish help coral reefs thrive, which in turn supports a wide variety of marine life.
- Balanced ecosystems: Sharks help maintain the balance between different species, ensuring that no single species overpowers the others.
Challenges sharks face
Sharks face many threats today, especially from overfishing. Dr. Rossiter mentioned that sharks are often caught accidentally or targeted for their fins, which are used to make shark fin soup. This practice is harmful because sharks without fins can't swim or breathe properly and die in a terrible way.
Hawaiʻi has been a leader in shark conservation. It's illegal to take sharks or trade any shark parts in Hawaiʻi waters. This has helped protect sharks from being used for souvenirs or shark fin soup.
Dr. Rossiter advises against eating shark meat. "Shark fin soup has no medicinal benefits and tastes like wet cardboard," he said. Sharks, as top predators, accumulate a lot of contaminants like mercury, making their meat unsafe for regular consumption.
Climate change is affecting the entire marine ecosystem, including sharks. Warmer ocean temperatures can disrupt shark migration routes and food availability.
Dr. Rossiter explained that some sharks are now migrating to places like Nova Scotia due to warmer waters. This could have big impacts on marine life, including changes in the balance of predator and prey species.
Staying safe in shark waters
When you go swimming in Hawaiʻi, remember to be aware but not afraid. The chance of a negative encounter with a shark is very low.
Dr. Andrew Rossiter said, "The chance of you having a negative encounter with a shark in Hawaiʻi is about one in 5 million."
If you do see a shark, keep it in sight, don't splash around, and leave the water calmly as a group.
Dr. Rossiter advised, "Keep the shark in view, don't splash around, don't panic, call out to other people and try to leave the water as a group in an orderly manner."
Avoid swimming at dawn and dusk when sharks are more active.
Dr. Rossiter mentioned, "Try not to go out at dawn and dusk because there is some evidence that sharks are more active at those times a day in terms of feeding. The visual acuity of a shark is much better than that of a human at those times of day."
Also, don't wear bright jewelry that could look like fish scales to sharks.
Dr. Rossiter explained, "Don't wear bright jewelry when you go in the water because sharks could easily mistake that for fish scales and in the heat of the moment they may come in and investigate."
The Waikīkī Aquarium's role
The Waikīkī Aquarium is dedicated to educating people about sharks. They have information on sharks in their exhibits and on their website.
They also host events like the Distinguished Lecturer Series, where experts like Dr. Carl Meyer from the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology share their research on sharks.
Sharks are incredible creatures that play a vital role in our oceans. On Shark Awareness Day, let's learn more about them, respect their habitats, and support conservation efforts to protect them.
Whether you're a resident or a visitor, understanding sharks helps us appreciate and protect these amazing animals.
Dr. Rossiter summed it up perfectly: "Be aware but don't be afraid. Respect sharks and their role in the ecosystem, and you'll have a safe and enjoyable time in the water."
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Let's celebrate Shark Awareness Day by spreading knowledge and respect for these fascinating animals. Aloha!