Sharks, those predators that have always inspired both fascination and fear, could become unexpected allies in the fight against hurricanes. Researchers at the University of Delaware are studying how to use these animals as natural sensors to obtain ocean data that will help improve prediction models for these weather phenomena. The idea isn't new, but technological advances are making it increasingly viable.
On the other hand, several studies have shown that sharks are able to detect changes in atmospheric pressure and modify their behavior before a storm arrives. This ability, which has allowed them to survive for millions of years, could be used to better understand hurricane dynamics. Although it is not a direct prediction method, the information they provide is very valuable.
A pioneering project at the University of Delaware
A team at the University of Delaware's School of Marine Science and Policy has launched a project that implants small electronic devices in the dorsal fins of sharks. These sensors record water temperature, depth, and conductivity, a measure related to salinity. When the shark surfaces, the device transmits the measurements to a network of satellites, allowing scientists to monitor ocean conditions in real time.
The main objective is to measure the temperature of the upper layers of the ocean , known as the mixed layer. This information is crucial for studying hurricanes, as warm waters provide some of the energy these phenomena need to intensify. Aaron Carlisle, principal investigator and university professor, explained to Reuters: “Sharks offer a new opportunity because they are abundant, widely distributed, and more accessible than many protected marine mammals. We are really interested in the heat content of the upper ocean layer.”
The species selected for this project are the shortfin mako shark, the blue shark, the smooth hammerhead shark, and juvenile great white sharks. Researchers venture 50 to 65 kilometers offshore, where they catch the sharks using bait. Once aboard, they attach the sensor, check the animal's condition, and release it back into the sea. The devices are designed to detach over time, so the sharks do not carry them for their entire lives.
Shark behavior during storms
In addition to this project, other research has shown that sharks leave coastal waters before a hurricane arrives . A study published in 2003 by Dr. Bob Hueter, along with Michelle Heupel and Colin Simpfendorfer, analyzed the behavior of juvenile blacktip sharks during Tropical Storm Gabrielle in 2001. Data obtained using acoustic transmitters showed that the animals left the bays off the Florida Gulf Coast and headed for deeper waters before the storm passed, returning a week or two later.
Hueter, senior science advisor for OCEARCH, explained that the determining factor wasn't the wind or the rain, but the drop in barometric pressure as the storm approached. “That pressure can be transmitted downward through the water column to marine animals,” he said. Sharks have an inner ear that allows them to detect this pressure decrease, even when it occurs over the ocean. This ability is innate and part of their survival strategy.
Satellite tracking has also confirmed these movements. The organization OCEARCH has attached tracking devices to more than a hundred great white sharks as part of its Global Shark Tracker program. Thanks to this monitoring, scientists have observed changes in their routes when a tropical system approaches. However, Hueter clarifies that many sharks descend to greater depths to avoid bad weather, so their transmitters stop sending signals to satellites during that period.
Limitations and future
Despite these advances, experts are clear: sharks cannot be used to directly predict hurricanes. Hueter put it humorously: “I think the National Weather Service and the excellent team at FOX Weather are much better equipped to do that than we are with sharks.” But he added that it is a fascinating characteristic and another way to understand how these animals have managed to survive for 400 million years in the world’s oceans.
The information gathered by sharks, both from the Delaware sensors and from behavioral studies, complements existing oceanographic and atmospheric models . Data on temperature and salinity help calibrate hurricane intensity models, while shark behavior can serve as an early indicator of pressure changes. Although they don't replace satellites or hurricane hunter aircraft, they offer a unique perspective from within the ocean.
However, the combination of these findings opens a promising avenue for meteorological research. Sharks, with their natural ability to perceive the marine environment, become another tool in scientists' toolbox. Much remains to be investigated, but what is already known demonstrates that these animals are much more than predators: they are sentinels of the ocean that, unknowingly, help us better understand the extreme phenomena that affect our coasts.