TM

 

Most Common Reasons Sharks Attack Humans:



  1. *Mistaken Identity - from below the waters surface, the silhouette of a swimmer or surfer looks very similar in size and shape to a sea lion or turtle.


  1. *Poor Visibility - murky, turbid and choppy water makes it difficult for a  shark to see / identify it’s prey.


  1. *Time of Day - Sharks naturally look for food around sunset, sunrise and at night time. People in the water at these times are more at risk.


  1. *Location - The mouths of rivers and lakes normally have poor water conditions, and often are breeding grounds for fish. Which makes an ideal place for sharks to find food.


  1. *Fish Schools - Often large schools of baitfish are seen near the coast. These are a natural prey item for sharks and therefore are an attractive food source. Do not enter the water if there are large numbers of fish present, or if you a re near an area where fish are being caught / cleaned.


  1. *Shared Habitat - Some sharks such as the Bull Shark can inhabit places where humans are also present, such as canals, estuaries and rivers.  Simply by sharing the same environment - we are more at risk of an accidental bite. Even more so, considering the poor visibility and silty water conditions often found in rivers.

The majority of the 400 different shark species are harmless to humans.                              


Those that are known to be ‘dangerous’ to humans

include around 10 of the 400 known species of sharks.


Worldwide there are less than 100 sharks attacks

every year. Less than 20 result in a death. And usually,

this is caused by blood loss. 


A shark actually eating a human is rare and extremely

unlikely - as we are not a natural prey item.  Experts

have found that if a shark bites human flesh, it will

often spit it out or vomit up.

Shark Safety



Avoid swimming at dusk, dawn and night time.

- these times are when sharks are most actively searching for food.



Avoid poor conditions, such as murky and turbid water. Including river mouths and estuaries.

- bad conditions may hamper a sharks visibility and sense of smell.



Dont swim alone.



Avoid entering the water of large numbers of dolphins, sea birds or fish are present. Dolphins and sea birds could indicate a large fish school, which may also attract sharks.



Be aware of shared habitat areas such as river and canals.



Dont harass or threaten sharks. Sharks will normally only attack if threatened.


Understanding shark behaviour and biology is a great way of raising your own awareness about shark safety.

Yes, sharks can detect blood in water in minute quantities. However, some studies have shown that they are only really attracted to blood / body oils from fish and marine mammals.


Experiments have shown that sharks respond most strongly to odours produced by injured or distressed prey.  The same prey if healthy and uninjured does not produce such a strong response from the shark.


Sharks are mistakenly thought to be ‘eating machines’. But because many species are cold-blooded, some eat only about 2 percent of their body weight each day. That's slightly less than humans typically eat. They can even go for months without eating at all.

The Reality...


The risk of attack is minimal.


If you do see a shark in the wild -

you are very lucky indeed!


Enjoy the ocean, but be aware that we are sharing it.

© Terry Goss

Sources:

www.adventure.howstuffworks.com/shark-attack.htm

www.news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/08/0804_040804_shark_attack.html

www.news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html

www.sharks.org.au/recommendations.html

www.sharktrust.org/content.asp?did=26297