Why Are There More Shark Attacks In Maui Than Other Hawaii Islands, Study Reveals

Researchers in Hawaii have discovered that some species of sharks prefer to swim in waters around Maui than any other Hawaiian islands. Maui is reported to have an increase in the number of shark attacks in the past two decades. This could explain why there is a number of shark bites in the island than any other part of a state.

The research also shows that tiger sharks favor the waters near Maui that are close to some of the state's most popular beaches for humans. Carl Meyer, the assistant researchers at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and the principal investigator of the report said that this explains why there are a higher number of shark bites in the water surrounding Maui. He added that shark attacks have heightened over time. This is because the human population has grown and more people are in the ocean, according to ABC 13.

The Land and Natural Resources Department of Hawaii conducted a study because of the increase of shark attacks on beachgoers. Meyer and other scholars from Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology monitored the activity of the tiger sharks around the islands of Maui and Oahu as well as in the open seas, according to Tech Times.

The researchers found out that the sharks were fond of waters near Maui. This is because the area has many coral reefs and it is streaming with food for the creatures. The ocean also has warming temperatures that make the sharks widened their hunting grounds.

The researchers also thought that why there were more shark attacks in the recent years because many people choose to spend the longer period of time in the ocean. They advise the people not to go areas where sharks litter. These include areas where there is muddy water or dead animals, which can attract the sharks.

Francisco Ferretti, a marine researcher from Stanford University said that people must learn about the behavioral and seasonal movement of sharks. These would enable to inhibit shark attacks. He further explained that if people know them, and knows their ecology, and then they can take precautions and use the ocean and engage in recreational opportunities.