Australian shark experts have revealed that some special wetsuit materials aiming to keep sharks from ripping your arm off or gouging out your guts might actually be helpful.
As detailed in a study published today in the journal Wildlife Research, the team investigated the extent to which four bite-resistant wetsuit materials—Aqua Armour, Shark Stop, ActionTX-S, and Brewster—could lessen injuries and blood loss from great white and tiger shark bites.
“Our study showed that bite-resistant materials incorporated into wetsuits can reduce damage from large white and tiger sharks (up to 3 metres) compared to standard neoprene wetsuit, even from moderate and severe bites,” Tom Clarke, a researcher from Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering, said in a university statement. Three meters is around 9 feet. (Who’s going to break it to them that some great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) long?)
Protection from shark bites
The team tested each material with real sharks and classified the bite damage in one of four categories of severity, from superficial to critical. They compared the damage to that allowed by standard neoprene material. This approach revealed that “while there were small differences between the four tested materials, they all reduced the amount of substantial and critical damage, which would typically be associated with severe haemorrhaging and tissue or limb loss,” Clarke continued.
While sharks rarely bite humans (you’re more likely to die from constipation, champagne corks, and lawn mowers) our interactions with them are increasing around the world as coastal communities expand and marine activities become more sought-after. The most unprovoked shark bites come from great whites and tiger sharks, which are also among the top three species that deliver the highest rate of deadly bites.
(As another side note, it would be interesting to know how researchers track provoked shark bites. Do they ask shark attack survivors, “How much, on a scale of one to ten, were you asking for it?”)
“While these suits don’t eliminate all the risk (e.g. internal injuries may still occur), our results indicate that they can reduce blood loss and trauma from major lacerations and punctures, potentially saving lives,” said Charlie Huveneers, leader of the Southern Shark Ecology Group at Flinders University. Crushing injuries could also take place. “Our findings will allow for informed decisions to be made about the use of bite-resistant wetsuit materials for occupational activities, as well as enabling the public to make appropriate decisions about the suitability of using these products.”
Flexible and protective
So if a shark chomps down on your shin, it sounds like you could still break a leg—but maybe the beast won’t rip away your entire calf. As such, the researchers argue that bite-resistant wetsuits are a viable approach to lessen the severity of shark bite injuries.
Conventional chainmail suits work well, but they are too heavy and stiff for people to use while surfing or diving. On the other hand, new wetsuits made from strong and light fiber (frequently seen in sailing rope) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (a tough polymer) are flexible as well as effective, according to the statement.
I assume there’s little chance of putting the materials through human trials. I certainly don’t volunteer as tribute.