Shark Shield has been named by Choice, Australia’s leading independent consumer watchdog, as the only effective shark deterrent on the market.
Following an extensive review of the shark deterrent options currently available, Shark Shield was the only deterrent shown to be independently tested and scientifically proven to turn sharks away.
According to Choice, “Shark Shield is the only electrical repellent on the market that’s been independently shown to be effective at deterring sharks from biting.” Choice author, Chris Doyle said the device worked by creating an electrical field along a 2m cord that trailed behind the wearer. Sharks have small gel-filled sacs in their snouts called ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’, short-range sensors used for feeding, so Shark Shield’s unique three-dimensional electrical waveform causes spasms in these sensors and effectively turns sharks away.
Recent independent research funded by the Western Australian State Government, as part of its investment in Shark Hazard Mitigation, lead by Professor Shaun Collin, Director of the University of Western Australia Oceans Institute, has proven the efficacy of Shark Shield’s technology.
Collins stated, “During testing Shark Shield successfully turned sharks away in nine out of ten times. We hope this research will ultimately lead to the development of new shark deterrent technologies in the future.” A renowned expert in his field, Collins also authored Electroreception in Vertebrates and Invertebrates published in the Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Oxford Academic Press 2010.
In 2012, Dr Charlie Huveneers from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) and Flinders University and his team also tested the effectiveness of Shark Shield. Part of this independent scientific testing used a seal decoy off the coast of South Africa, with white sharks seen to visibly abort attack charges with no surface breach observed with the Shark Shield device turned on.
Huveneers was quoted in the Choice report explaining, “the effectiveness of an electrical deterrent partly depends on the strength and frequency of the electrical pulse they emit and configuration of the electrodes”.
Dr Vic Peddemors, a renowned shark scientist who has been working with sharks since 1987, was involved in statistical testing of Shark Shield’s effectiveness back in 2003, also in South Africa on white sharks. During this testing it was shown that by using a Shark Shield the probability of an attack was reduced from 0.70 to 0.08.
Lindsay Lyon, Managing Director of Shark Shield says, “Shark Shield remains to be the only scientifically proven and independently tested electrical shark deterrent in the world, a statement again proven this time by Choice. We hope that both governments and consumers accept the evidence and take action in the interest of reducing risk.
“Seat belts have been proven to save lives by reducing risk, without doubt Shark Shield products have been proven to reduce risk, buckle up and wear one on your next adventure,” added Lyon.
About Choice:
Choice is the leading consumer advocacy group in Australia. Independent and member-funded, Choice was established more than 50 years ago, ensures that consumers get a fair go, and is always on the look out for dodgy or misleading practices. Wholly independent, Choice review, advise and campaign on diverse issues, delivering expert, unbiased consumer information you can trust.
