CANBERRA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Australian shark experts have tested four bite-resistant materials to assess their potential in reducing injuries and blood loss from shark bites.
While internal and crushing injuries may still occur, bite-resistant wetsuits can now be added to the "toolkit" of measures available to reduce shark-bite risk and resulting injuries, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's Flinders University.
The government-funded study tested the efficacy of four bite-resistant wetsuit materials to reduce damage incurred from white and tiger shark bites, species most often linked to fatal encounters, the statement said.
New wetsuits that incorporate strong and light fiber often used in sailing rope, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, offer both flexibility and protection, it said, adding traditional chainmail suits proved too heavy and inflexible for surfing or diving.
Researchers assessed each material's potential in reducing injuries from white and tiger sharks by quantifying the amount of bite damage across four categories of increasing severity, ranging from "superficial" to "critical."
The four tested materials "all reduced the amount of substantial and critical damage, which would typically be associated with severe haemorrhaging and tissue or limb loss," said Tom Clarke from Flinders University.
Compared to standard neoprene, results indicate that the new wetsuits tested "can reduce blood loss and trauma from major lacerations and punctures, potentially saving lives," said Professor Charlie Huveneers, who leads the Southern Shark Ecology Group at Flinders University.
Shark bites on humans are uncommon but can severely impact local coastal communities and businesses, according to the research published in Wildlife Research, an Australian academic journal. ■
