Cape Cod Experiences Resurgence of Great White Sharks, Impacting Tourism and Local Behavior
Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has become a significant seasonal hotspot for great white sharks due to a resurgent gray seal population, which serves as their primary food source. This increase in shark presence has led to noticeable changes in local behavior and the tourism industry. While the overall enthusiasm for Cape Cod as a destination remains high, with the tourist economy growing to nearly $2.8 billion, beachgoers are adapting their habits. Many now use shark-tracking apps like Sharktivity, and there's a growing demand for private swimming pools, with some builders even advertising 'shark-free swimming.' Shark-spotting tours have also become popular, offering visitors the chance to observe these apex predators in their natural habitat. This phenomenon is a conservation success story, stemming from the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which helped the gray seal population recover from near extinction. However, it has also led to increased beach closures and, in some rare instances, shark encounters,... 
