#189 Why Killing Sharks Won't Make Our Beaches Safer with Jessica Meeuwig

After a number of shark bites on Australian beaches, the calls for a cull are growing louder. But does killing sharks actually make us safer?Marine ecologist Dr Jessica Meeuwig (UWA) joins Sarah Han-de-Beaux to separate fact from fear with the data:Why Hawaii's 1950s cull of over 5,000 sharks did nothing to reduce bites.Why Western Australia's $1.3 million drumline program caught zero white sharks.Why “shark numbers are exploding” is biologically impossible.Jessica unpacks the real ecological role sharks play, from protecting coral reefs to keeping seagrass beds intact, and lays out the evidence-based alternatives actually proven to reduce risk: drones, citizen science spotter programs, deterrent technology and serious investment in research.A clear-eyed, compassionate, and urgently needed conversation for anyone who loves the ocean.More Informationhttp://www.meeuwig.org/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bMn7RuW3Qchttps://sharkspotters.org.za/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Qhttps://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/management/wolf.htmhttps://www.aims.gov.au/information-centre/news-and-stories/sharks-increase-reef-resilience? https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/conl.12185If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts.Leave us a review and share this show with your friends.It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you.Contact the ShowWe are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events.You can email us at: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.