CONTACT WITH A BAT, CALL YOUR
DOCTOR OR VETERINARIAN A.S.A..P
MARIA: 5 INVESTIGATES IS
THINKING SUMMER EXAMINGIN
SOMETHING THAT’S PROBABLY THE
LAST THING ON YOUR MIND AT THE
END OF FEBRUARY, THE GROWING
SHARK POPULATION OFF THE COAST
OF MASSACHUSET.TS
MIKE BEAUDET OBTAINED EMAILS
FROM THE STATE’S TOP SHKAR
EXPERT AND THEY’RE PROVIDING AN
INSIDE LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON
BEHIND-THE-SCENES.
>> WINTER ON CAPE COD CONCEALS
WHAT’S BECOME AN UNSETTLING
REALITY DURING THE SUMMER.
SHARKS.
THEY’RE A REAL AND GROWING
CONCERN.
AN AUGUST ATTACKN  OA SWIMMER IN
TRURO WAS FOLLOWED BY A DEADLY
ENCOTEUNR BETWEEN A SHARK AND A
MAN ON A BOOGIE BOARD IN
WELLFLEET.
IN SEPTEMBER, THE FIRST FALTA
SHARK ATTACK IN MASSACHUSESTT
SINCE 1936.
26-YEAR-OLD ARTHUR MEDICI WAS
KILL.ED
 I HAVE A TREMENDOUS RESPECT
FOR THESE ANIMALS AND QUITE
HONESTLY I HAVE AN INHERENT FEAR
OF THEM AS WELL.
DR. GREG SKOMAL IS WITH THE
STATE’S DIVISION OF MANERI
FISHERIES, AND DODGED A GREAT
WHITE OFF THE CAPE LAST SUMMER
WHILE TRYING TO TAG IT.
I’VE SEEN WHAT THEY DO TO
PEOPLE.
I HAVE HAD NIGHTMARES ABOUT IT.
>> HIS SLEEPLESS NIGHTS MAY HAVE
SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS, GREAT
WHITE SHARK SIGHTINGS ON THE
CAPE LAST SUMMER.
THEY’RE EVERYWHE.ER
FROM THE TIP OF PROVINCETOWN
DOWN TO CHATHAM ACCORDING TO
DATA FROM THE ATLANTIC WHITE
SHARK CONSERVAY.
AND THE NUMBERS ARE WAY UP A 6
>> THE NUMBER OF SHARKS IS
INDEED BUILDING IN RESPONSE TO
THE SEALS.
>> THE GROWING SEAL POPULATION,
ESTIMATED TO BE AT LEAST 50,000
ON THE CAPE IS A FEAST FOR THE
SHARKS
SO IF YOU HAVE TWO SHARKS THAT
COME BACK EACH YEAR AND THEN A
NEW ONE, THEN IT BECOMES THREE
SHARKS, THEN 5 SHARKS, THEN 10
AND THEY JUST KEEP COMING BACK.
>> 5 INVESTIGATES AND
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
OF JOURNALISM OBTAINED HUNDREDS
OF DR. SKOMAL’S EMAILS.
THEY PROVIDE A BEHIND-THE-SCENES
LOOK AT THE DIFFICULT SEARCH FOR
SOLUTION
I HAD A SINKING FEELING THAT
WOULD HAPPEN AFTER MY VISIT STLA
YEAR, WRITES ONE SHARK BIOLOGIST
TO SKOMAL.
IT HAS BEEN A BRUTAL SUMMER,E H
WRITES IN ONE EMAIL.
IN ANOTHER, CRAZY RIGHT NOW, BUT
SHOULD SETTLE IF NOBODY ELSE
GETS BITTEN.
THE EMAILS ALSO SHOW COMPANIES
REACHING OUT TO SKOMAL INCLUDING
AMANDA WILSON’S WHO LIVED IN
AUSTRALIA WHEN THERE WERE 5
FATAL SHARK ATTACKS IN TWO
YEARS.
>> I’VE LIVED THROUGH THAT ANID
KNOW HOW DEVASTATING IT CAN BE
FOR TOURISM, FOR PEOPLE GOING IN
THE WATER.
>> THE COMPANY MANUFACTURES THE
SHARK SHIELD WHICH PRODUCES AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD AIMED AT
REPELLING SHAR.KS
WHAT CAN MASSACHUSETTS LEARN
FROM AUSTRALIA?
YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT THE
DISCUSSION HAS BECOME IN
AUSTRALIA IS HOW TO TAKE YOUR
OWN SAFETY MORE SERIOUSLY.
>> DR. SKOMAL’S EMAILS ALSO
REFERENCE CAPE SURFERS WHOE
SAYS, REFUSE TO ALTER THEIR
BEHAVIOR.
IS THERE FEAR?
>> LOTS OF FEAR.
>> JOHN KARTSOUNIS IS A SURFER
WHO WILL NO LONGER ALLOW HIS
ADULT CHILDREN TO SURF ON THE
CAPE.
HE BELIEVES THE EXTREME
SITUATION CALLS FOR EXTREME
MEASURES ALLOWING SEALS DAN
SHARKS TO BE HUNTED.
>> WE HAVE AN OVER-POPULATION OF
SEALS.
THAT’S THE ISSUE.
>> IF THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT
MANAGED, WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?
MORE DEAS.TH
MORE ARTHUR MEDICIS.
>> UPDATING THE SIGNS, BROCHESUR
AND SAFETY TIPS.
CYNTHIA WIGREN FROM ATLAIC
WHITE SHARK CONSERVANCY SPOKE AT
A SHARK SAFETY PUBLIC FOMRU
EARLIER THIS MONTH ABOUT
STRATEGIES FROM THE WHITE SHARK
WORKING GROUP MADE UOFP
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS.
>> WE HAVE BEEN GATHINGER
INFORMATION FROM AROUND THE
GLE.OB
THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING
PROCESS.
>> DO YOU THINK WE’RE GOINGO T
SEE MORE SHARK ATTACKS?
AS LONG AS PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO
TAKE THE RISK AND GO OUT IONT
DEEP WATER WHERE THESE SHARKS
ARE HUNTING, THE PROBABILITY OF
ADDITIONAL ATTACKS IS QUITE
HIGH
>>
RESEARCHERS JUST STARTED A NEW
STUDY TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT ETH
THE SHARK PROBLEM.
BUT THE RESULTS AREN’T EXPECTED
UNTIL SEPTEMBER, AFTER THE BUSY
SUMMER TOURIST SEASON.
COMING UP AT 7:00, THE AUNOFT
FATAL SHARK ATTACK VICTIM ARTHUR
MEDICI.
WHAT SHE SAYS NEEDS TO HAPPEN
NOW TO SAV
