December 27, 2013 — Australia sure has some tech-savvy sharks.
As part of a program recently launched by Surf Life Saving Western Australia, a community service association, sharks are taking to Twitter to warn swimmers and beachgoers of their locations.
Thanks to transmitters implanted in several hundred sharks, automated updates are posted to Twitter when one of the tagged sharks swims near a beach. The tweets are shared on Surf Life Saving WA's feed (@SLSWA), along with other non-tagged shark sightings and announcements.
According to Sky News, scientists have implanted transmitters in more than 320 sharks, including bronze whalers and great whites. When one of the tagged sharks swims within 1 kilometer (about 0.6 mile) of a beach, the transmitter pings a computer, which then posts a tweet that includes the type of shark, alert time and location.
Read the full story at the Huffington Post