Shark season is upon us. It might seem weird to think about sharks in New York state. Still, we actually have several different varieties including basking sharks, blue sharks, common thresher sharks, dusky sharks, sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, shortfin mako sharks, white sharks, and great white sharks.
Interestingly, while shark populations around the world are generally decreasing, they're actually increasing in NY. Which, ecologically, is a good thing.
But it's a bad thing if you want to enjoy swimming in the water with no fear.
Thankfully, measures are being implemented in Long Island state parks to ensure people can safely enjoy the water. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with the Department of Environmental Conservation, and New York State Police are increasing surveillance.
This includes an uptick of drone, watercraft, and helicopter monitoring along these state park beaches.
If a shark sighting does occur, there are strict measures in place for how to handle things afterward.
First, swimming is suspended for at least one hour after the last sighting. You can learn more about these efforts and extra measures being put into place to keep NY residents safe at the official NY state governor website.
The photo below was posted by the NY state parks Twitter account and shows some of the drone preparations taking place right now.
Now you can swim with peace of mind in Long Island state park beaches knowing that people and technology have your back in the fight against sharks.
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