Electronic Shark Repellent
The Shark Shield FREEDOM7 is a compact, versatile and light weight personal shark deterrent system which allows you to explore and enjoy the oceans without fear. It's designed for all water sports including, swimming, spear fishing, bodyboarding and snorkelling and is the preferred product for scuba divers. The Shark Shield FREEDOM7 is fitted to the ankle region with the supplied neoprene and Velcro pouch.
Contents include:
- Shark Shield unit (with enclosed battery)
- 2.2m antenna
- Velcro pouch
- Universal Charger (will suit any voltage or frequency)
The unit incorporates a velcro pouch, that is attached to the ankle region and 2.2m flexible mesh antenna. Once the antenna is submerged in salt water the electrodes emit the protective field.
The FREEDOM7 antenna has been designed to cause minimum of water resistance and drag on the user.
Shark Shield's unique wave form elliptical field only affects free swimming sharks and to a minor degree rays and skates. The field generated by the Shark Shield is detected by the shark through its sensory receptors known as Ampullae of Lorenzini, situated on the snout of all predatory sharks. The unique and unfamiliar pulsing sensation emitted by the Shark Shield does not replicate that given off by a fish and does not attract sharks to an area. Shark Shield allows you to hunt, photograph or just swim with all other marine animals roaming freely in their ocean settings.
TECHNOLOGY
The electrical wave-form used in the Shark Shield is based on a technology invented by the Natal Shark Board of South Africa. Predatory sharks have small gel filled sacs knows as ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’ on their snouts. They use these short range sensors when feeding or searching for food.
Shark Shield is a three-dimensional electrical wave form which creates an unpleasant sensation impacting the shark’s ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’. When the shark comes into proximity of the electrical wave form (around 8 meters in diameter) it experiences non-damaging but uncontrollable muscular spasms causing it to flee the area.
The field is projected from the unit by two electrodes, which create an elliptical field that surrounds the user. Both electrodes must be immersed in the water for the field to be created. The electrode configuration depends on the model of the Shark Shield unit.
From testing, the closer the shark is to the Shark Shield field, the more spasms occur in the sharks’ snouts. This becomes intolerable and the shark then veers away, and usually doesn’t return.
A distinct advantage of the unique electrical wave-form is that it deters sharks and does no lasting harm to the shark. Once the shark is out of the affected area, it no longer feels the effect of the electrical wave form.
The original technology was released onto the market in 1995 by POD Holdings Ltd, a joint venture company partly owned by the Natal Sharks Board and the South African Government. In addition to being tested by National Military and other authorities, Shark Shield has been extensively tested to the highest standards by scientists and marine biologists over many years.
