Experts test bite-resistant wetsuits that could save swimmers from sharks

Shark experts in Australia have carried out a test for bite-resistant wetsuits that can protect swimmers from shark attacks.

The test was carried out in a study published on 25 September involving four new bite-resistant materials to see how well they reduce injuries and blood loss.

Their result showed that while the materials cannot prevent internal or crushing injuries, wetsuits made out of them can reduce the risk of injury from shark bites.

Solution to shark injuries

Many methods have been employed to deter sharks in the past, including Shark nets which can trap unwanted targets and put sharks at risk of extinction.

Other non-lethal methods such as camouflaging surfboards and using magnets to ward off sharks exist, but now scientists want to use bite-resistant wetsuits.

In this study, the researchers tested the efficacy of four bite-resistant wetsuit materials, namely Aqua Armour, Shark Stop, ActionTX-S, and Brewster material.

They tested each material for the ability to reduce injuries from great white sharks and tiger sharks, two of the most vicious species. They then compared the extent of bite damage done compared to standard neoprene wetsuits.

The best wetsuits were those made of strong and light fiber used to make sailing rope and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, making them flexible, but also highly protective.

Dr. Tom Clarke, a study co-author and shark ecologist at Flinders University in Australia, said:

“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.”

The team concluded that the light and flexible bite-resistant materials used to make the wetsuits can reduce the damage from great white and tiger sharks compared to a standard neoprene wetsuit for both moderate and severe bites.