Twilight Bites: Sharks, protection and detection

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Ages: Recommended for 16+

There are around 400 shark species on the planet, and half of them can be found in the waters around Australia.

As a Principal Research Scientist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Dr Paul Butcher is using real-time technology to research, track and trace the movements of White, Tiger and Bull sharks.

Join us for canapes and conversation as Paul shares some of the science that is helping reduce the risk of interactions with sharks. From airborne drones to personal deterrent devices, this is a unique insight into future technologies helping keep swimmers safe while minimising harm to sharks and other marine life.

Following the talk, explore the AM’s Sharks exhibition where a dedicated Shark scientist will share their research and be on hand to answer your questions.

Dr Paul Butcher is a Principal Research Scientist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Paul’s career has included the successful development of expertise in the fields of gear testing (commercial and recreational fishing gears) and teleost, elasmobranch and crustacean survival, welfare, and movement (tagging).

His current research involves research primarily designed to identify, develop and recommend suitable management options for solving shark issues associated with public safety in NSW coastal waters.

Patrick Burke is a shark biologist who has been studying sharks for almost a decade. Currently undertaking a PhD at Macquarie University, his research involves a mix of work in the field and in the laboratory to better understand the ecology of one of Australia’s most bizarre sharks, the sawshark.

This covers satellite tagging to better understand where and why these sharks move around Australia, cutting edge biochemical work to understand what they eat and how they fit into their food chain, and analysing their visual systems to try to understand what the world really looks like to a sawshark.

Sharks is proudly supported by the NSW Government through the Blockbuster Funding initiative.