Human Dimension of Rebounding Populations of Seals and White Sharks on Cape Cod

So How did we get here and why is this study so crucial?

 - Introduction by Andrea Bogomolni, Chair Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium- March 2022.

Here on Cape Cod, it’s easy to forget that we live on the edge of a wilderness. Past the unicorn floaties and the lobster rolls on RT 6, you can step into a world of endless expanses of sand dunes and, on a crisp clear day, look out onto the ocean for miles on the Cape Cod National Seashore.

As the warm weather returns, residents and tourists alike will inevitably be attracted to the water and beaches. These places are the edge of a an ocean that surrounds us, that feeds us, and cal also be felt as wild and alien places from our human perspective. The moment we dip our toes into the water, we are out of our element and we enter a wilderness on par with the vastness of the Serengeti.

As beautiful as this wilderness is, this wilderness  isn’t without controversy.

Conflicts and controvery with wildlife,  and at the ocean’s edge in particular, is not new to us.

Almost a decade ago, I met Jennifer Jackman at the Cape Cod Natural History Conference where she gave a talk on attitudes and perceptions about coyotes on Cape Cod. She was living in Mashpee, and very much art of the fabric of the story of this region. I introduced myself and it led to years of discussions about a similar perception issue simmering with seals and sharks on the Cape, and how exactly to address understanding the attitudes and concerns of our community.

A few years later after one of our meetings of the Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium (NASRC) hosted at Salem State, Jennifer tackled human dimension research focused on seals and the community on Nantucket. After this study, we then worked together to gain support to to expand this research study to  Cape Cod and include perceptions on sharks and seals.

Sharks and seals, which we know used to be far more abundant on Cape Cod than they are today, almost disappeared because of human activities. But, after decades of conservation efforts,  including the adoption of the Marine Mammal Protection Act,  and Federal protection on white sharks, we are beginning to see signs of hope. While encouraging, this new reality, this rewildling, also means very few in living memory have actually seen what a healthy, productive Northwest Atlantic looks like. Now, with seal and shark populations rebounding, we on Cape Cod and elsewhere are discovering what it means to share the coastline with other large animals that also calls this place home. Despite conservation success, fear and frustration have grown. Contrasting to this fear, sold out seal and shark tours, and thousands of visitors to the CCNS indicate that there is also a growing appreciation.

Social science, and human dimensions of wildlife conflict research specifically,  is an incredible tool in the toolbox to obtain the empirical data needed  to understand perceptions as well as help educate and address misperception and misinformation on shark, seal and human relationships. This fabulous team that came together under Jennifer’s direction sought to address this, providing unbiased scientific data to help direct education and outreach efforts, as well as provide an opportunity to see gaps in our understanding. This research was led by a team of colleagues who live and work on Cape Cod that are well versed in seals, sharks, ecosystems, fisheries management as well as the people dependent on this region for their livelihood.

The resurgence of an ecosystem with large predators is a sign of the ocean’s resilience in the face of long human neglect. The resurgence is also an opportunity to better understand the ocean that surrounds us and to learn how we can coexist—and even prosper—on the edge of this extraordinary wilderness that we also call home.