Why sharks mistake surfers for seals (and how to stop them)

thetimes.co.uk - Bernard Lagan Sydney

It is called the mistaken identity theory and it has long been offered as the reason large sharks attack humans — especially those on surfboards.

Australia’s surfers have suffered a 300 per cent increase in shark attacks in the past 15 years. Now, research from a zoo in Sydney is showing how sharks see —from below — their preferred meal of seal and how they see a surfer. It goes some way to explaining why they seem to confuse their quarry.

Researchers at Taronga zoo have embarked on a series of experiments this month to help understanding of what causes a shark