Forget werewolves, it’s ocean predators you have to worry about during a full moon, according to a new study.
The research, titled Shark Side of the Moon: Are Shark Attacks Related to Lunar Phase?, found an increase in shark attacks when the moon is brighter.
Researchers with the Louisiana State University and University of Florida looked at nearly 50 years of data on shark attacks.
They found that when the moon cycle was between half and full, referred to as more than 50 per cent lunar illumination, there were more unprovoked shark attacks than average.
The research, titled Shark Side of the Moon: Are Shark Attacks Related to Lunar Phase?, found an increase in shark attacks when the moon is fuller
At less than 40 per cent lunar illumination, there was markedly less attacks than average.
Sharks are not the only creatures who become more ferocious during the full moon.
A 2000 study in the UK, which looked at patients attending an emergency department for animal bites between 1997 and 1999 found a significant increase in attacks during a full moon.
The shark study does not offer a clear cause for the correlation between the full moon and increased attacks, but suggested the geomagnetic activity caused by the moon could have an affect on the animals.
Researchers with the Louisiana State University and University of Florida looked at nearly 50 years of data on shark attacks. They found that when the moon cycle was between half and full, referred to as more than 50 per cent lunar illumination, there were more unprovoked shark attacks than average
The shark study does not offer a clear cause for the correlation between the full moon and increased attacks, but suggested the geomagnetic activity caused by the moon could have an affect on the animals
It states there is ‘strong evidence that geomagnetic activity increases and decreases in relation to a full moon’ while they say it ‘is well established that sharks sense and respond to electromagnetic stimuli; e.g., electromagnetic fields are clearly important for migration behaviors.’
It means that a full moon could ‘trigger migration or reproduction physiology’ which may bring them into areas where they are more likely to encounter humans.
Sharks could also be reacting to the moon’s effect on tides or brighter moonlight could affect their visibility.
The study warns against using moonlight as a deciding risk factor for shark attacks but suggests it can ‘contribute to a fuller understanding of shark behavior, which may help risk management in the future.’
