Science: Biology: Evolution
Shark riders   (+4)  [vote for, against]
My daughter asked me to post this idea for her.

Several years ago we saw a program on Gator rasslin.
It turns out that an evolutionary reflex has made it so that these large lizards can't shut their mouths when their snouts and inner mouths are manipulated in a certain fashion. They are stuck in lock-jaw and you can then safely sit on them or put your head in their mouths or shove your arm down their gullet... (hey, whatever your fetish is, I'm not judging). [link]1
When I explained to her why the man could put his head in its mouth she asked me then if sharks had that same reflex.

Much spare-time research and several emails have gone into finding an answer for her but no luck yet.
Seems there are safer fields of study to choose from and no one has drawn that short straw yet.
The other day I came across a video [link]2 showing a man shoving on the nose of a surfacing shark and the reflex looked very familiar to the reptilian one.

It should be possible to rig up a shark in captivity with harness containing a robotic arm which can be manipulated safely to explore a sharks biting reflex stimuli and figure out if we can put them into a state of temporary lockjaw as well.

Since sharks can not stop swimming, they should not become completely paralyzed like the lizards and my daughter thinks that we would be able to safely ride them.

Taking this a step further, maybe Pavlov's tricks could work on dog-fish too. If the sharks were conditioned to a tone before each snout manipulation it may be possible to train them.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 27 2014

Put...put your head in there. https://www.youtube...watch?v=23DBEDYf-Ik
Best from the 1:00 mark on. [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 27 2014]

Pet the shark. http://imgur.com/gallery/4FzPzkf
PET HIM! [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 27 2014]

Sharks https://www.dropbox...14k469jho/Shark.jpg
Not the sharpest bulbs on the tree [doctorremulac3, Mar 27 2014]

She might be on to something with this one... http://imgur.com/gallery/i3efYHa
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 21 2015]

Who's a goodboy? http://imgur.com/gallery/TUXji0A
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 31 2015]

I want to see this tried on a great white shark. https://www.youtube...gZlogkM&app=desktop
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 24 2017]

Such a drag. http://imgur.com/gallery/xVrvc
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 10 2017]

Nez. Nez I sez! https://imgur.com/gallery/hSeKbJ7
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 11 2019]

Here's the preferred way to rig a shark for riding:

You attach a muzzle to the animal that has a feeding tube running through it. On a regular basis you inject ground shark chow to keep the animal happy and fed. It of course allows for the free passage of water over the shark's gills so it can breathe. The muzzle keeps the shark from killing you, at least with it's teeth, and gives you something to attache your steering reigns to so you can control which way the animal swims.

That's it. Jump on and ride-em shark-girl.

That being said, you shouldn't ride sharks no matter what you've attached to their heads. And don't waste your time trying to train them. Let's just say if they went to school, they'd definitely take the short bus. (see link)
-- doctorremulac3, Mar 27 2014


Many years ago there was a surf fisherman in Namibia who would ride any sharks he caught out to the backline, and let them escape there. After the trauma of being caught and being ridden, I suppose they weren't up to revenge.
-- skoomphemph, Mar 27 2014


So, "jumping the shark" is something that is going to come into fashion?
-- Vernon, Mar 27 2014


Re. the alligator video in link 1 - I note the absence of a similar video filmed the next day.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 21 2015


^ The Director unfortunately yelled "CUT" at the wrong time.
-- AusCan531, Feb 21 2015


your new link's broke, 2fries
-- FlyingToaster, May 20 2015


Well crap.
It showed an aquarium diver holding a sharks nose and giving it a belly rub. The shark seemed sort of paralyzed until it stopped.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, May 20 2015


These guys have it on lock-down. [link]
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 24 2017



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