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Come to the Beach but Beware of Sharks, Cape Cod Officials Say Come to the Beach but Beware of Sharks, Cape Cod Officials Say
(6 days later)
The Fourth of July holiday is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year in Cape Cod, Mass. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, visitors are expected to flock to the beaches.The Fourth of July holiday is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year in Cape Cod, Mass. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, visitors are expected to flock to the beaches.
Officials are recommending that they take precautions: Wear a mask when social distancing isn’t possible, keep beach blankets at least 12 feet apart, and of course, be wary of great white sharks.Officials are recommending that they take precautions: Wear a mask when social distancing isn’t possible, keep beach blankets at least 12 feet apart, and of course, be wary of great white sharks.
There’s no guarantee they will stay six feet away.There’s no guarantee they will stay six feet away.
There have been no restrictions at Cape Cod’s beaches during the pandemic. That won’t change over the holiday weekend, but with more visitors hitting the sand as rules limiting short-term rentals have eased, officials want to ensure that shark safety doesn’t take a back seat to coronavirus precautions.There have been no restrictions at Cape Cod’s beaches during the pandemic. That won’t change over the holiday weekend, but with more visitors hitting the sand as rules limiting short-term rentals have eased, officials want to ensure that shark safety doesn’t take a back seat to coronavirus precautions.
“Yes, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but if you choose to recreate in the water off Cape Cod, it is home to white sharks and they’re coming close to shore,” said Leslie Reynolds, chief ranger of the Cape Cod National Seashore.“Yes, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but if you choose to recreate in the water off Cape Cod, it is home to white sharks and they’re coming close to shore,” said Leslie Reynolds, chief ranger of the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Shark sightings are nothing new for Cape Cod, which has a reputation as a hot spot for white sharks. According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, a local research nonprofit, 718 shark sightings have been recorded since 2016 on Sharktivity, an app that lets users flag where they spot sharks.Shark sightings are nothing new for Cape Cod, which has a reputation as a hot spot for white sharks. According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, a local research nonprofit, 718 shark sightings have been recorded since 2016 on Sharktivity, an app that lets users flag where they spot sharks.
Since 2012, the Cape Cod National Seashore, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and other organizations have worked to educate the public about shark safety with signs, presentations and training sessions to teach people how to stop bleeding if they are bitten.Since 2012, the Cape Cod National Seashore, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and other organizations have worked to educate the public about shark safety with signs, presentations and training sessions to teach people how to stop bleeding if they are bitten.
There have been several shark attacks on Cape Cod beaches in recent years, including a fatal one in 2018, when a 26-year-old man died after he was attacked by a shark at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet. It was the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936.There have been several shark attacks on Cape Cod beaches in recent years, including a fatal one in 2018, when a 26-year-old man died after he was attacked by a shark at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet. It was the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936.
Unlike the shark featured in the 1975 film “Jaws,” great white sharks don’t intentionally target humans. But sharks can mistake swimmers for seals, their natural prey, and Cape Cod’s seal population has been flourishing under federal protections, according to Ms. Reynolds.Unlike the shark featured in the 1975 film “Jaws,” great white sharks don’t intentionally target humans. But sharks can mistake swimmers for seals, their natural prey, and Cape Cod’s seal population has been flourishing under federal protections, according to Ms. Reynolds.
“Unfortunately when you have someone who’s 5-4 like myself up against a 15-foot white shark, even a taste is going to do significant damage, if not end my life,” she said. “That’s why we’ve been working so hard to get the message out to everybody to stay close to shore.”“Unfortunately when you have someone who’s 5-4 like myself up against a 15-foot white shark, even a taste is going to do significant damage, if not end my life,” she said. “That’s why we’ve been working so hard to get the message out to everybody to stay close to shore.”
Ms. Reynolds recommended avoiding large schools of fish when swimming, and steering clear of seals or murky waters with low visibility. Always swim, paddle or surf in a group, she said.Ms. Reynolds recommended avoiding large schools of fish when swimming, and steering clear of seals or murky waters with low visibility. Always swim, paddle or surf in a group, she said.
Because of the coronavirus, the National Seashore hired only about 40 percent of the number of seasonal workers it employs in a typical summer, Ms. Reynolds said. Only four of Cape Cod’s six public beaches will have lifeguards this season, she said; beaches without lifeguards will have “swim at your own risk” signs.Because of the coronavirus, the National Seashore hired only about 40 percent of the number of seasonal workers it employs in a typical summer, Ms. Reynolds said. Only four of Cape Cod’s six public beaches will have lifeguards this season, she said; beaches without lifeguards will have “swim at your own risk” signs.
Gregory B. Skomal, a senior fisheries scientist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, tracks white sharks off the coast of Cape Cod to learn about their behavior. He said more sharks visit the area each year.Gregory B. Skomal, a senior fisheries scientist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, tracks white sharks off the coast of Cape Cod to learn about their behavior. He said more sharks visit the area each year.
“It’s kind of like when a new restaurant opens and people realize it’s a really good spot, and someone else discovers it and slowly the clientele builds,” he said.“It’s kind of like when a new restaurant opens and people realize it’s a really good spot, and someone else discovers it and slowly the clientele builds,” he said.
Updated August 27, 2020 Updated September 1, 2020
Sharks arrive in the area around late May, Dr. Skomal said. The population peaks in August and September, and the last sharks are usually gone by November, when the water gets cold.Sharks arrive in the area around late May, Dr. Skomal said. The population peaks in August and September, and the last sharks are usually gone by November, when the water gets cold.
The likelihood that someone will be attacked by a shark is still remarkably low, he added, but it increases in shallow water where seals and humans mix.The likelihood that someone will be attacked by a shark is still remarkably low, he added, but it increases in shallow water where seals and humans mix.
Dr. Skomal’s research team tags sharks in the area to track their feeding behavior. The information is used to refine public safety measures. Recently, he said, the crew tagged three white sharks that were feeding on a dead whale close to shore.Dr. Skomal’s research team tags sharks in the area to track their feeding behavior. The information is used to refine public safety measures. Recently, he said, the crew tagged three white sharks that were feeding on a dead whale close to shore.
There has been a significant decrease in shark attacks across the world since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. This is in part because of restricted beach access and stay-at-home orders, according to Gavin Naylor, the director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, which maintains a scientific database of shark attacks at the Florida Museum of Natural History.There has been a significant decrease in shark attacks across the world since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. This is in part because of restricted beach access and stay-at-home orders, according to Gavin Naylor, the director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, which maintains a scientific database of shark attacks at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Dr. Skomal advised beachgoers to take both coronavirus and water safety precautions seriously.Dr. Skomal advised beachgoers to take both coronavirus and water safety precautions seriously.
“It’s not hard for us to realize that the risk of being harmed by Covid-19 is orders of magnitude higher than being harmed by a shark,” he said.“It’s not hard for us to realize that the risk of being harmed by Covid-19 is orders of magnitude higher than being harmed by a shark,” he said.
Ms. Reynolds recommended using the Sharktivity app to see where sharks have been spotted. But just because no sharks have been flagged in a particular area doesn’t mean they are not there, she said.Ms. Reynolds recommended using the Sharktivity app to see where sharks have been spotted. But just because no sharks have been flagged in a particular area doesn’t mean they are not there, she said.
“These sharks have been around for 400 million years,” Ms. Reynolds said. “They are very good at what they do. They outlived the dinosaurs. We’re going to be the ones that have to change our behavior.”“These sharks have been around for 400 million years,” Ms. Reynolds said. “They are very good at what they do. They outlived the dinosaurs. We’re going to be the ones that have to change our behavior.”