Shark Expert Says Former Leader Doesn't Understand Science About Shark Attacks

A shark expert says former Prime Minister Tony Abbott doesn't understand science after he called for killing sharks. Abbott made these comments after a woman was attacked by a shark at Coogee beach in Sydney on Saturday. The woman, who is in her 30s, was bitten on her leg and arm by what experts think was a great white shark. She is in the hospital in serious but stable condition.

Abbott posted a video on social media saying it was wrong that Australia doesn't kill sharks after attacks. He said the government should start catching and killing sharks near beaches. But shark experts strongly disagree with this idea. They say killing sharks would not make people safer from shark attacks.

Professor Rob Harcourt leads a shark research group at Macquarie University. He said Abbott doesn't understand the science behind shark behavior. Harcourt explained that killing some sharks wouldn't reduce the risk of attacks. You would need to remove all sharks from the ocean to make a real difference, which is impossible and would harm the environment.

Other scientists agree that killing sharks is not the answer. Professor Culum Brown studies fish behavior and said people should learn to live with ocean animals. The leader of New South Wales also said no to shark killing because great white sharks are protected animals. He wants to find better ways to keep people safe, like using new technology.