Researchers and experts will speak at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ North Florida Shark Festival this weekend.
The speakers will discuss research and efforts to save the animals worldwide.
During an appearance on WJCT's “First Coast Connect,” one of the events speakers, Peggy Sloan, talked about her research and misconceptions about sharks. Sloan is the executive director of the North Carolina Aquarium.
Sloan says people misunderstand sharks. She says they don’t have any interest in attacking people at all.
“Most cases of people encountering sharks, getting bitten, is mistaken identity,” Sloan said.
She says sharks are not looking to interact with people. When they encounter humans, it’s usually by accident.
“We’re out there swimming in their kitchen, during lunch hour,” Sloan said.
She says sharks have an important role in maintaining the balance throughout the ocean’s ecosystem.
“[In] the Northwest Atlantic, the removal of large sharks, these large predators, led to an increase in some stingray species,” Sloan said.
She says this led to the collapse of the bay scallop fishery.
“So if you like to eat scallops, you got to take it easy on sharks,” Sloan said.
She says her research is focused on sand tiger sharks.
“They grow very large, but they’re very docile, and we don’t know a whole lot about them,” Sloan said.
Sloan will speak at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens tomorrow, Saturday, August 8 at 11:30 a.m.
There will also be live music and shark-themed arts and crafts and activities.
Listen to the full conversation with Peggy Sloan on Friday’s episode of the “First Coast Connect” podcast on iTunes.
Photo credit: ‘Shark’ by Jeff Kubina is used under CC BY-SA 2.0.
