When "Norman," a surprisingly friendly gray nurse shark, showed up near the shores of Bondi Beach in Australia, locals crowded to get a closer view.
While these sharks are not aggressive towards humans, they are threatened by shark nets, which environmental groups are working to address.
What happened?
As Surfer reported, the Instagram account dronesharkapp (@dronesharkapp) posted a video of Norman, affectionately called "Norms" by locals, swimming close to surfers and following them through the water.
It's a nice change from the more common news of shark attacks in Australia, which has the second-highest number of fatal attacks worldwide, according to the Florida Museum.
The bad news is that many gray nurse sharks that call the waters around Bondi Beach home often get trapped in shark mesh nets placed near the beach to protect people.
However, a report by the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee found that the nets aren't very effective at deterring sharks, and hundreds of other marine animals become entangled in them every year.
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An eco-conscious group of locals launched a Change.org petition urging the state government to replace the nets with safer alternatives, such as drones.
"Most of the sharks caught are not species that are considered dangerous to humans," the petition explained.
"Gray nurse sharks are critically endangered, and we have collected substantial evidence of over 40 individuals aggregating in Bondi. These nets pose significant risk to a population of shark that is on the verge of collapse."
Why are the shark nets concerning?
According to Surfer, gray nurse sharks are also threatened by overfishing, which has led to their declining numbers.
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Definitely 👍 The marine animals are key apex predators that help maintain the balance and health of ecosystems by controlling prey populations like rays, fish, and crustaceans.
If they go extinct, or even if their numbers continue declining, it could pose a serious risk to the long-term health of ecosystems and biodiversity.
If the government continues allowing the shark mesh nets to be used as barriers, it could result in even more deaths or injuries.
Rising global temperatures are also impacting shark populations worldwide, resulting in them having to migrate closer to shore to find food, which increases the risks of human-wildlife conflicts.
What's being done to help?
The Australian government has implemented some conservation measures, including making it illegal to catch gray nurse sharks without a licence and requiring fisheries to track any sightings.
In New South Wales and Queensland, the government has also set aside conservation zones where the sharks typically congregate to breed. The efforts seem to be working, as their adult population increased 5% per year between 2017 and 2023.
You can support gray nurse sharks by donating to environmental groups and even volunteering with conservation organizations near you.
Conservation efforts have helped the rare sailback houndshark make a comeback in Papua New Guinea, and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission passed new measures to protect sharks from being captured as bycatch.
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