The beach or ocean is somehow always one of the most relaxing places, just the scent of sun tan or sunblock alone is synonymous with the relaxing holidays, even nostalgic at times. As much as we don’t want to think of sharks on this trip for fun, the beach is still their domain if we’re having a quick swim, surfing, fishing, or scuba diving. If you’ve ever thought about innovative all-in-one protection from people, dangerous animals, or even sharks, pepper spray is not going to be one of those.
Would pepper spray work on a shark?
It’s unlikely that pepper spray would work as effectively on a shark as you would like it to. Besides capsicum juice from pepper spray diluting in water, a shark’s physiological anatomy and respiratory system are very different from ours for pepper sprays to have much effect, although it might slightly irritate a shark’s gills and nerves.
If pepper spray is unlikely to work, why, and what will? Let’s look at it in more detail.
The Actual Reason Pepper Spray Is So Useless On A Shark?
- Sharks’ noses don’t lead to their respiratory system, and they have double eyelids over their eyes that serve as a protective membrane, shielding them from any irritants, in this case, pepper spray. So, there’s no chance that this spicy concoction would have much effect on a shark’s eye
- The main ingredient of pepper sprays ie. capsaicin would dilute and dissipate quickly into the water, resulting in decreased potency and effectiveness.
- Sharks have different sensory organs, unlike elephants or bears – no surprise there, right? This negates the next effect that pepper spray was created to have ie. burn the eyes.
- Another tell-tale sign that pepper spray would be ineffective against a shark is that it’s unlikely that the Shark would ingest the pepper-sprayed water because they only extract oxygen from water and release it through their gills.
- Pepper spray would be totally ineffective on their skin also because sharks have an armored-like coat instead of skin ie. dermal scales that look like fine teeth. We’d never say judging from their glistening outlook.
Studies have shown that different combinations using chili and pepper are not enough to dissuade an approaching shark despite packing a powerful punch. Most importantly, you must see a shark approaching first to release the pepper spray into the water.
Since sharks have a penchant for sneaky attacks or unexpected drive-by (or swim-by) bites, you’ll likely not have enough time to spot them before an attack. If you’ve been packing a canister of pepper spray to take along with you for those swims or surf sessions, you’re probably just wasting your time.
Where Did The Idea Of Pepper Sprays Possible Come From? Were The Aztecs Wrong?
The ancient Aztecs 6,000 years ago attached a string of chili peppers & solutions with similar ingredients to their boats, believing the burning sensation would ward off sharks.
Scientists have disputed this theory because the active ingredient, capsaicin, is found inside peppers and not outside. This means that for all the Aztecs’ beliefs and good intentions, they might as well have just tossed a few chilis at the sharks approaching them and hoped for the best.
And so, the sad reality for those who wish to paddle through Shark infested waters is that although capsaicin and chili pepper extracts have been successfully implemented in repelling wildlife like elephants, bears, and deer, it’s unlikely to work on sharks.
If Pepper Spray Doesn’t Work, What is the Most Effective Shark Repellent?
While pepper spray is a non-event in a shark’s life, you may notice various shark repellents available on the market. They claim to reduce the risk of a shark attack by interfering with different shark senses like smell, sight, hearing, or sensing organs or even as intricate as their ampullae of Lorenzini (which is located in their nose area).
These include:
1. Electric Shark Repellents
Electrical deterrents claim to work by emitting small electrical currents into the water to interfere with the Shark’s sensing organ found on the snout. A shark’s snout detects small electrical currents produced by prey, like a heartbeat from a nearby fish.
The idea is that the Shark can turn away if the sensory organ spams from overstimulation. Studies show that an electrical repellent called Shark Shield can effectively deter shark bites.
It produces an effective electrical field 1.3 meters from its electrodes, and you can wrap the device around your ankles or install it on your surfing board or kayak.
2. Magnetic Shark Repellents
One of the wonderful abilities sharks have to detect electrical signals ie. that translates to food (in the form of other creatures or even people) is through electro-receptors which are all over their head.
These highly charged sensors are called ampullae of Lorenzini.
This inherent and God-given radar system that they possess serves to alert them to their prey which swims along within their close proximity.
So, electromagnets produce a similar effect as electrical fields by overstimulating the Shark’s snout and causing an unpleasant sensation resulting in them leaving the vicinity.
Common devices like Sharkbanz and Shark Shocker feature magnets in a small band you wear on the wrist or ankle. Manufacturers claim the products can repel various sharks like the tiger and bull sharks, but they’re not recommended for great white sharks.
It’s important to note that research on using magnets to repel sharks has generally been inconclusive, particularly after a shark attack a teenager experienced while using the band.
3. Acoustic Shark Repellents
The idea behind acoustic shark repellents is to play audio that mimics the sound of a shark’s only predator, killer whales. One such device is the SharkStopper, a small plastic band worn around the ankles.
The device automatically powers on in water and works for four hours non-stop. In addition, it emits a patented acoustic sound that blends orca calls with a special frequency that repels sharks. Such technology has been used to keep seals away from fishing vessels, but they eventually figured out the gimmick, and the same can happen with sharks too.
4. Shark-Deterrent Wetsuits
Manipulating or tricking one of the other powerful senses that sharks have for our benefit are their keen eyesight!
The idea behind shark deterrent wetsuits is to disrupt the Shark’s visual perception and present you as potentially dangerous and unpleasant to eat. A range of wetsuits from Shark Attack Mitigation Systems (Sams) features designs for divers and surfers.
Mimic Surroundings
Divers obtain a disguised pattern with various shades of blue that help you blend into the surrounding water.
Mimic Unpleasant Food
For surfers, black and white banding along the limbs gives you the resemblance of a banded sea snake, a dangerous food option for sharks. The design warns sharks that you’re not a yummy treat, helping you avoid shark bites.
5. Distilled Shark Tissue
The famous MythBusters & BBC youtube channels and CBS conducted a very interesting experiment on this particular shark repellant – distilled shark tissue ie. dead shark tissue.
It was discovered by scientists that most sharks are repelled by rotting shark carcasses! They put this to the risky test of plunging into shark-infested waters, even the extent of feeding them, shortly after releasing the essence of dead shark tissue.
This resulted in them scattering in an instant, only to return after 5-6 minutes – providing a long good time for someone to get back onto their boat or flee that area.
6. Natural Shark Repellant Secretion
Interestingly natural, the secretion of Pardachirus marmoratus fish (finless sole, Red Sea Moses sole) repels sharks.
“Pardaxin is a peptide produced by the Red Sea sole and the Pacific Peacock sole that is used as a shark repellent. It causes lysis of mammalian and bacterial cells, similar to melittin.”
wikipedia.org
Final Thoughts
Let’s face it, the probability of a shark attack is low, but the number of shark bites and shark-human interactions per capita has increased since the 1980s, so there’s always a chance.
Despite myths from ancient Aztecs, pepper spray cannot work on sharks because of their biology and the fact that it would quickly dissipate in the water. Other shark repellent measures like electric, magnetic and acoustic strategies may help, but they’re not 100% effective and will not protect you in all circumstances.
It’s better to reduce the risk by swimming, surfing or diving with other people, avoiding dirty water or going into the water at dawn, dusk or night.
