JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- For centuries humans have been both fearful of and fascinated by sharks. Fossils show that some species have been on earth for up to 56 million years, but scientists continue to learn new things every day.
Dr. Bryan Franks, a Jacksonville University professor, OSEARCH researcher and shark specialist just returned to the River City after an expedition to Nova Scotia to study Great Whites.
"For most researchers, including me, it stems from a fascination from when you’re a little kid," said Franks.
"The diversity we see with these animals and the importance they have to our oceans," he said, "the more we learn about these animals the more we learn how much we don’t know."
Right now his team is continue their expedition off the coast of Canada, including one of his student from JU. They are trying to confirm exactly when great whites appear off our own coastline, which he says is in the winter, and when they travel up to Massachusetts, which is reportedly in the summer.
That’s why he expects to continue that expedition off the first coast in the coming months. He expects the sharks to be near Jacksonville in the winter or spring.
"We put transmitters on them so we can follow their movements," said Franks/
Like "Hilton", a great white shark they've been following that weighs more than 1,300 pounds. He’s one of four males they found up by Canada and will search for again near Jacksonville.
"It is interesting that we haven’t found a female there yet," he said.
Great whites aren’t listed on the endangered species list because they don’t abide by international lines, Franks says, so they can’t be categorized under one country’s system, but they are a protected species.
In partnership with JU, OCEARCH provides its information to lawmakers and organizations to help with conservation efforts.
"Hopefully they will be off our coastline in three months," said Franks. "There shouldn’t be any fear, just awareness."