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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1975)
daily nebraskan page a Prof beats Jawsmania' thursday, September 18, 1975 By RsxSeline Before the so-called "J awsmania" shark terror swallowed the interest of the coun try, UNL Zoology Professor Thomas Thor son was studying the finned throwback to ancient times. No, Thorson has yet to discover any 25 foot Great White Sharks. Nor does he har bor any secret desire to end up as shark food. . "If you handle a shark right, they're no big problem," Thorson said. "Just don't go into the water where they're at home. Stay on the . land where you're - at home." Thorson has been studying the habits and movements of the Bull Shark in and around South America's Lake Nicaragua. "We've been studying the biology, movements and physiology of the fresh water sharks and their relatives, like the sawfish and the stingrays," Thorson said. "We're trying to determine how th& Bull Sharks are able td live both in the fresh water of Lake Nicaragua and the sea." He said a tagging program he established when Jie first began his studies nearly 15 years ago has proved that the shark and some of his relatives travel between the sea and the lake. He said this was the first proof of the shark's capability to change from a fresh water to salt water environment, as the better-known salmon and eel do. But Thorson said he has yet to pinpoint a reason for the shark's movement between environments beyond a search for food. "Apparently it's not a requirement of its life history or a requirement for repro duction," unlike the salmon and the eel, according to Thorson. Nicaragua grant In February, he will begin a new round of research with a grant from the Central Bank of Nicaragua, which will examine year-long habits of the sharks. He said he will visit Nicaragua in October to set up the research and return in February to initiate it, but otherwise will not be on location for the research. ' A former American Peace Corps volun teer who remained in South America will direct the operations of local fishermen in catching and tagging the sharks, Thorson said. In past studies he has used students and graduates as assistants. Thorson said that while he has been doing research in South America there have been no shark-related accidents. "I suppose if you were studying sharks in the ocean, you might go intQ the water to stiidy them in their habitat," Thorson said. f'But the water is so murky down there we couldn't see anything anyway, so we don't go into the water and don't have many problems." He said the only problem he's faced is the slashing movements of the shark's head and tail when they are brought to the beach for tagging and then quickly released. "But their middle stays still while they're slashing, so we straddle them to tag them," he said. . Eight-footer The largest shark Thorson has seen was a female Bull Shark "a little" over eight feet long, although he said he has seen larger ones in photographs. ' And then there's the 25-foot monster from "Jaws". . : "As entertainment, it was probably a pretty good picture," Thorson admitted. "But from the- standpoint of science, it wasn't accurate." He said that although a shark's mind is not completely understood, he believed the movie was a bit overdrawn. . "I don't believe any shark has the type of mind to pursue a boat," Thorson said, "And once he catches it, I don't think he'd go up the deck to get the captain." Thorson said he finally saw the movie after many people questioned him about it. "It strains my credulity, but I suppose it's good entertainment for laymen," he said. , Some of the facts in the movie are accurate, though, according to Thorson. "Sharks will eat practically anything, '"V N Exciting import clothing ' and Accessories like THE CANYON DRESS Priced at $17.00 Stop in at the UNDERGROUND AT 144 NO. 11 TH I Open 10 5 Mon. -Sat. booodboooooooooooooooooooooo G O o ar rfw'uwii'iit arm o Q o o o o n n ul L , n S n - ft IV 0 0 U (X) I ' ; -" O o S o nToou pi : g o ZJLlJ o i - ,- " V..' --' ''"TS', "1 I-, --v :, - . . 'J VW.;.., ::i, . ...,. X.( "I y.r ,. ... . . S T,-. I y - I ,Ln Tagging sharks in Nicaragua. Insert: Thorson. although they don't generally . take the unusual things like license plates and cans," he said. - "It's also true that they are attracted by unusual, irregular vibrations in the water like those caused by swimming," he added. If a person should get caught in the water with a shark interested in attacking, Thorson recommended swimming as steadi ly as possible to the nearest short or boat, "although the chances aren't very great that a shark would attack." He said the last confirmed death by shark in the Lake Nicaragua area occurred in the late 1950s. . He also said that past shark repellents were ineffective. ' "The "Shark Chaser repellent used by Photo courtesy of Thomas T hereon UNL Zoology Professor Thomas the Navy for years may have provided a tremendous psychological feeling for downed airplane fliers, but tests have proved that it wasn't very effective;" Thor son said. - Effective deterrent Thorson did say that a University of Maryland researcher has discovered that secretions from a Red Sea fish effectively deter shirks "In tests, the fish, tied to a line or some thing, Has been left in a shark infested area and has consistently discouraged and driven off sharks," Thorson said. He added that the researchers should be close to being able to produce enough proper synthetic substitute to make the repellent teasiDie ior aisinouuon. PTIr. Bike -y2n P0VS, 11th and CP Get a minor W rkneLrA- overhaul for your bike V-OffinUSKer for Winter storage Regularly Priced at $19.95 II an overhaul is $10 I 1 I I with this coupon. I I if GET $10 OFF PURCHASE J J 1 I PRICE ON ANY BIKE IN I I V STOCK OR $20 OFF ANY ACCESSORIES WITH 1 THE PURCHASE OF ANY BIKE I r WITH THIS COUPON 1 : Mini i mi iii hi mi i rtiiimiiMiM- . ; 1 MAJORS f There is one ASUN senate position open for a representative from the College of Home Economics. There are also openings on : Housing Policy Committee Grading Intercollegiate Athbtics Human Rights Parking Appeals - Committee on Equality ROTC Advisory Board Libraries (grad.) Campus Security Advisory Board . Student Suspension & Dismissal,.,'.,;, Teaching Council (grcd.). UNL. Pocc Committee' Career Action Commission If interested come to or call the ASUN office, 334 Neb. Unbn, . : 472-2581 "' i oooooooooooooooooo oooooooooo