High-tech shark deterrence - Australia's new strategy for safe beaches

After a series of fatal shark attacks, Australia is turning toward high-tech solutions. This includes drones, smart capture systems and cutting-edge research, which — unlike shark nets — don't harm the predatory fish.

Marine biologist Paul Butcher heads the New South Wales shark management program, which introduced smart drumlines that allow sharks to be caught alive before being tagged and released without hurting them. The program is aided by the world's largest drone-based beach surveillance system.

One of Butcher's key collaborators is Mark Atkins, who oversees the drone program. The system delivers real-time warnings for swimmers and surfers, while airborne cameras also provide researchers with valuable data on shark movements.

Drone operator Gabriel Roxburgh conducts patrols of Bellina's coastline. He is taking a closer look at the new arrival of massive schools of baitfish, because he knows that, where prey gathers, large predators usually follow.

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