Images show damage sustained on a DFO glider that are believed to have been inflicted by a shark. Photo: DFO.

DFO believes one of their drones was damaged by shark attack

Evan Taylor October 9, 2024 4:08 pm Last Updated on February 26, 2026 11:50 am

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) believe one of their ocean gliders encountered a shark after it was recovered with significant damage nearly 300 kilometres off the coast of Halifax.

The rocket-shaped device, deployed to gather data on seawater properties like temperature and salinity, had been in operation for about two weeks when it sent out a distress alarm, indicating it could no longer navigate its planned route.

When a research vessel retrieved the glider, DFO staff found it with bent aluminum components and missing plastic wings, suggesting a strong animal interaction deep below the surface, around 300 metres down.

According to the researchers, the bite marks on the equipment pointed to a shark, ruling out the possibility of a whale or other marine animal simply playing with it.

Despite the damage, DFO staff say the $250,000 glider is repairable and will be sent back to the manufacturer for maintenance before being redeployed into the ocean.

Evan Taylor

Evan Taylor is a 2018 graduate of the journalism program at Fanshawe College. He is based in Bridgewater and covers stories across the South Shore and Nova Scotia. Contact Evan at taylore@radioabl.ca.

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