Southern California scientists using technology to keep track of sharks

(FOX 11) - When you look out at the Pacific Ocean off the Huntington Beach coast and think of the many sea creatures -- there is no way to know how many are sharks are swimming underwater.

Dr. Chris Lowe, Director of the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab, says it's in the thousands.

"Spring is pupping season," he explained. "White sharks, mako sharks, thrasher sharks, salmon sharks are all coming to Southern California and giving birth to their young. So, our front yard is one of the most important nurseries for sharks in the Northeast Pacific."

In the old days, it might have taken a fin out-of-water to know a shark was actually nearby, but now with new technology, Lowe and others are tracking, monitoring and videotaping sharks under the water.

They're tracking shark movements. They want to find out why the young great whites, for instance, are coming closer to shore.

Why sharks have attacked people is a mystery to him, however.

He says an attacking shark might have felt threatened or mistaken a human for pray. He adds that 85 percent of victims never see the shark coming.

But sharks aren't interested in people.

"It's that simple. If sharks wanted to eat people, Huntington Beach would be empty."

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