Introducing the great Chris Buddle, and his Haiku of Wonder

In addition to being an arachnologist and the associate provost of Teaching and Academic Programs at McGill University, Chris Buddle is an artist, writer, and lover of life. Each month, Chris shares an illustration and haiku of some of the natural wonders found in this beautiful world.

Text: despite the teeth, do not fear the shallows -marine mammals taste best. Image: Blue-gray shark with wide open mouth and red teeth, coming towards the viewer.

Sharks have gotten a bad rap over the years, but while all those teeth may look ferocious, sharks’ preferred prey are not swimming primates. (Watch your backs, fish, and watch your exoskeletons, crustaceans!) Generally speaking, the hysteria over shark attacks doesn’t match the actual risk. And it doesn’t help that news about shark attacks is inflated, especially on social media. So jump on in; the water’s fine.

 

Check our references!

Bornatowski, H., et al. (2012). Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Volume 92, Issue 8: Marine Mammals, December 2012, pp. 1767 – 1772

Le Busque, B., et al. (2019). An analysis of Australian news and current affair program coverage of sharks on Facebook. Conservation Science and Practice https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.111