Can I be a shark researcher without actually swimming with sharks?

Question

I'm afraid to swim with sharks, but I really want to be a marine biologist that specializes in great whites. Is that possible?

Answer 1

No problem. Even the behaviorists usually ovserve from the safety of a shark cage. And there are many more specialties for shark biologists: anatomy, physiology, and ecology, for example.

Answer 2

most likely no especially if you want to be in a specialized field.

why are you afraid? falling coconuts kill more people than sharks do.

Answer 3

Absolutely!  Any damned fool can swim with sharks, but what's really needed are people who are good at research, and that usually involves a lot more time in the library than in the field.  If you need information that can only be obtained by diving, get some other fool to do it.  There are lots of divers willing to dive with sharks, so keep your butt in the boat and let them do the diving.  Remember that even paranoids can have real enemies, and give yourself credit for having the sense not to do something you KNOW is DUMB!

Answer 4

Yes, but you won't garner much respect.

Answer 5

yeah, they do most of the research from the relative safety of a boat. if you did need to get close to the sharks for the research another member of the team (a diver) could do that while you assisted from the boat.  they use un-manned cameras on rovers and things these days, which will probably be widely used by the time you qualify so I wouldn't worry.

Answer 6

yes depends what research u want to specialise in

Answer 7

If you have that fear you need to find a different career or target animal.  Most shark biologist also scuba dive.