How One Shark Dive Turns Tourists Into Shark Defenders
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Sharks have a reputation problem. Fifty years of movies taught all of us to hum that music the second a fin breaks the surface. And I'll admit it. As a mystery writer, I've borrowed a little of that menace myself. (Okay, maybe more than a little.)
But a new study says something lovely. Get in the water with sharks, and you might come home with more than photos. You might come home a shark defender.
What Did the Researchers Find?
Scientists at the University of Sydney followed people who went on shark ecotourism trips. Those are guided outings where you see sharks up close, usually with a little education thrown in. Then they checked back two years later.
The shark tourists were about 40% more likely than expected to be doing something to help sharks. That held up even after the researchers accounted for age, background, and whether people were already into conservation before the trip.
What were they doing? Mostly posting on social media, signing petitions, donating, and pushing for new laws. In other words, people went from "Eek, a shark!" to "Have you signed this petition about sharks?"
Why Does It Matter?
Sharks need all the friends they can get. According to the researchers, shark populations have dropped about 71% in the last 50 years. Roughly a third of species are now threatened.
The study also found that education makes a difference. Tours that explain what sharks do for the ocean, and what's threatening them, send people home better equipped to help. A good guide can turn a thrill ride into a lifelong cause.
Every time I see a shark on a dive, it's a thrill. Even a stodgy old nurse shark, because all sharks are cool.
Scary on the Page, Precious in the Water
Here's my confession. I love a shark in a story. Every book, I have to resist the temptation to add a shark villain in addition to the people villain. But sharks don't need more bad publicity, which is why I've only succumbed to the temptation to put a scary shark in once. (Okay, twice.)
But c'mon. Nothing ratchets up the tension in a dive scene like a shadow at the edge of the visibility. Mystery fiction runs on fear, and sharks deliver every time.
In real life, though, seeing a shark on a dive is a gift. Healthy reefs need sharks. I'd much rather you finish one of my books curious about sharks than afraid to go in the water.
This study got me thinking about real-world shark encounters. One great experience didn't just give these tourists a nice afternoon. It turned them into fans who were still talking about it two years later.
That's what I hope my books do. Share the wonder and mystery of the ocean and its inhabitants with readers. Give them an experience they remember and they'll tell their friends, post about it, and come back for the next one. You can't buy that with ads. Believe me, I've tried.
Your Turn
Have you been in the water with sharks? Did it change how you feel about them? Or is this a hard "absolutely not" for you? Tell me in the comments. No judgment either way.