deepblue
12-27-2013, 09:21 PM
Well... not really. Their transmitters are.
I put this under conservation, because if shark attacks can be stemmed, so will the idea of culling sharks. I hope. And I hope this saves a lot of human lives, this is a great idea!
Australia sure has some tech-savvy sharks.
As part of a program recently launched by Surf Life Saving Western Australia, a community service association, sharks are taking to Twitter (http://surflifesavingwa.com.au/safety-rescue-services/shark-safety#skiplink-0.6166395770851523) to warn swimmers and beachgoers of their locations.
Thanks to transmitters implanted in several hundred sharks, automated updates are posted to Twitter when one of the tagged sharks swims near a beach. The tweets are shared on Surf Life Saving WA's feed (@SLSWA (https://twitter.com/SLSWA)), along with other non-tagged shark sightings and announcements.
For example:
Surf Life Saving WA ✔ @SLSWA (https://twitter.com/SLSWA)
Fisheries advise: tagged Bronze whaler shark detected at Garden Island
(north end) receiver at 06:07:00 AM on 27-Dec-2013
2:08 PM - 26 Dec 2013 (https://twitter.com/SLSWA/statuses/416329593843224577)
According to Sky News, scientists have implanted transmitters in more than 320 sharks (http://news.sky.com/story/1187066/australia-sharks-use-twitter-to-warn-swimmers), including bronze whalers and great whites (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/26/how-to-tag-a-great-white-shark_n_4503838.html). When one of the tagged sharks swims within 1 kilometer (about 0.6 mile) of a beach, the transmitter pings a computer, which then posts a tweet that includes the type of shark, alert time and location.
The automated system is, perhaps, a much quicker method of informing the public of shark sightings in the area -- one of the deadliest regions in the world for shark attacks (http://news.yahoo.com/tweeting-sharks-could-help-save-aussie-surfers-171017765.html).
After a slew of recent shark attacks, including the Nov. 23 death of a 35-year-old surfer (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/11/24/14/50/wa-beaches-remain-closed) near the coast of Western Australia, government officials considered shark culling (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/shark-culling-hawaii_n_4394064.html) to curb the number of fatal attacks. Under the highly controversial mass hunting plan (http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/wa-govts-shark-kill-plan-proceeds/story-e6frfku9-1226790667872), which the Western Australian government ultimately approved, baited hooks will be set up on beaches to catch and kill sharks.
I put this under conservation, because if shark attacks can be stemmed, so will the idea of culling sharks. I hope. And I hope this saves a lot of human lives, this is a great idea!
Australia sure has some tech-savvy sharks.
As part of a program recently launched by Surf Life Saving Western Australia, a community service association, sharks are taking to Twitter (http://surflifesavingwa.com.au/safety-rescue-services/shark-safety#skiplink-0.6166395770851523) to warn swimmers and beachgoers of their locations.
Thanks to transmitters implanted in several hundred sharks, automated updates are posted to Twitter when one of the tagged sharks swims near a beach. The tweets are shared on Surf Life Saving WA's feed (@SLSWA (https://twitter.com/SLSWA)), along with other non-tagged shark sightings and announcements.
For example:
Surf Life Saving WA ✔ @SLSWA (https://twitter.com/SLSWA)
Fisheries advise: tagged Bronze whaler shark detected at Garden Island
(north end) receiver at 06:07:00 AM on 27-Dec-2013
2:08 PM - 26 Dec 2013 (https://twitter.com/SLSWA/statuses/416329593843224577)
According to Sky News, scientists have implanted transmitters in more than 320 sharks (http://news.sky.com/story/1187066/australia-sharks-use-twitter-to-warn-swimmers), including bronze whalers and great whites (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/26/how-to-tag-a-great-white-shark_n_4503838.html). When one of the tagged sharks swims within 1 kilometer (about 0.6 mile) of a beach, the transmitter pings a computer, which then posts a tweet that includes the type of shark, alert time and location.
The automated system is, perhaps, a much quicker method of informing the public of shark sightings in the area -- one of the deadliest regions in the world for shark attacks (http://news.yahoo.com/tweeting-sharks-could-help-save-aussie-surfers-171017765.html).
After a slew of recent shark attacks, including the Nov. 23 death of a 35-year-old surfer (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/11/24/14/50/wa-beaches-remain-closed) near the coast of Western Australia, government officials considered shark culling (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/shark-culling-hawaii_n_4394064.html) to curb the number of fatal attacks. Under the highly controversial mass hunting plan (http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/wa-govts-shark-kill-plan-proceeds/story-e6frfku9-1226790667872), which the Western Australian government ultimately approved, baited hooks will be set up on beaches to catch and kill sharks.