A study just published in the Journal of Marine Biology
sheds new light on the relatively rare but occasionally recorded presence of
white sharks in waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands, and suggests a new
method to help distinguish between white sharks and close relatives, such as
mako sharks. The paper, titled
“Occurrence of White Sharks in Hawaiian Waters,” was written by Kevin Weng of
the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and
Technology (SOEST) and Randy Honebrink of the Hawai‘i DLNR Division of Aquatic
Resources (DAR).
According to William Aila, chairperson of the State of
Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, “This study is valuable in
that it provides a better understanding of the biology and behavior of white
sharks, which is very useful for management purposes. White sharks were caught by pre-contact
Hawaiians, and their teeth used in weapons and other implements. But in many ways they continue to mystify us
today.”