SHARK BE GONE

You've heard of mosquito repellent, but how about shark repellent? Researchers at the Oak Ridge Shark Lab in New Jersey think they've finally hit upon something that will keep sharks away from people-a chemical extracted from dead sharks.

The researchers observed that live sharks avoid swimming near a dead shark. They suspected that the dead shark's body gives off a chemical signal that warns living sharks to stay out of the area. When the researchers dropped a small amount of their specially formulated dead-shark extract near feeding sharks, the sharks immediately stopped eating and swam quickly away.

The new shark repellent is still in the testing stage, but if all goes well the chemical could be used to make shark-proof clothing or even suntan lotion.

And believe it or not, shark repellent is actually good news for sharks. Fishermen could one day use it to keep sharks away from nets and fishing lines, where they are often accidentally caught and killed.

-Sharon Katz Cooper

Copyright Carus Publishing Company Jan 2005
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