People often fear that a shark will hurt them when they go into the ocean. However, this video shows that perhaps the sharks have something to fear as well. Video footage shows a boat striking a female basking shark as she feeds near the surface. Watch the shark get hit by the boat from the shark's perspective.
Shark Gets Hit By Boat: Is That A Common Occurrence?
Researchers had placed a tag on the shark and the video was captured from it. What is truly unique about the video is that you see the strike happen from the shark's perspective. The female basking shark was feeding near the surface of the water when the boat seemingly strikes her. You can see the impact, and watch as she begins to dive deeper down into the water. The event happened off the coast of Ireland back in April, after researchers were following the shark.
Although the shark tries to evade the boat she unfortunately still gets struck. A study published in the Frontiers journal says that the keel of the boat cut across her back. The hit must have had quite a bit of force behind it because the boat's paint appeared behind her dorsal fin. Luckily, although there was damage to her skin, there did not appear to be any bleeding or open wounds. One area of concern was that the shark went immediately to the sea floor and did not resurface for more feeding for hours. Researchers say that her behavior after being struck by the boat was, "a stark contrast to its behavior prior to the strike."
While this incident is making headlines across the globe, experts argue that boats rarely hit sharks. In fact, Taylor Chapple, an Oregon State University shark researcher claims, "This is the first-ever direct observation of a ship strike on any marine megafauna that we're aware of.
Basking Sharks: A More Likely Prey For Boats
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Although scientists argue that boats rarely hit sharks, the frequency could increase in the next few years. This is due in part to the increased sightings of basking sharks in Ireland. Boats are more likely to hit these sharks because they spend a lot of time near the surface of the water. Scientists admit that they need to conduct more research on the severity of boat accidents involving sharks and on preventative measures. Additionally, they want to better understand the recovery process, both short and long-term, of sharks affected by boats.
So far there is no update on how the female basking shark is fairing after her injury. Hopefully, she recovers quickly and is back on the surface in no time. It is important to protect these sharks because of their dwindling population. Not only are they an endangered species but they are the first type of fish to be protected by Ireland's Wildlife Act.
