Fins up: How to avoid a shark attack
Sink your teeth into these essential shark safety tips ahead of Shark Awareness Day.
Spielberg’s “Jaws” set in motion what would become one of humanity’s greatest fears — sharks. With most species having an average of 15 rows of teeth per jaw, these apex predators have a villainous reputation of being dangerous, bloodthirsty creatures.
While shark attacks are extremely rare — humans are at greater risk of dying from a bee sting or dog bite — there were 130 shark incidents around the world in 2018. And as recent news coverage has reminded us, shark attacks can be unexpected and, at times, fatal.
As more humans enter the sea and more recreational businesses capitalize on human interest in marine life, shark attacks are expected to increase.
Types of attacks
Sixty-six shark attacks in 2018 were deemed as ‘unprovoked’ by the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), the world’s only scientifically documented, comprehensive database of all known shark attacks. These incidents are defined as “an attack on a live human occurs in the shark’s natural habitat with no human provocation of the shark.”
More than 30 attacks in 2018 were classified as “provoked” by the ISAF. This when “a human initiates interaction with a shark in some way. These include instances when divers are bitten after harassing or trying to touch sharks, attacks on spearfishers, attacks on people attempting to feed sharks, bites occurring while unhooking or removing a shark from a fishing net, etc.”
Rules to follow
Being in the ocean puts us in their territory, and the rules of the land do not apply.
Ahead of Shark Awareness Day on July 14, here are tips from the Florida Museum of Natural History on how swimmers and divers can decrease their chance of becoming a victim of a shark bite and stay safe in the water:
- Always swim in a group. Sharks most often attack lone individuals.
- Don’t wander too far from shore or at a place where you are away from assistance.
- Avoid the water at night, dawn or dusk.
- Don’t enter the water if bleeding.
- Don’t wear shiny jewelry.
- Don’t go into waters containing sewage, as it attracts bait fishes, which in turn attract sharks.
- Avoid waters being fished and those with lots of bait fishes. Look out for diving seabirds, which are good indicators of such activities.
- Don’t enter the water if sharks are present.
- Avoid an uneven tan and brightly colored clothing, as sharks see contrast well.
- Erratic movements can attract sharks, so don’t splash a lot, and keep pets out of the water.
- Use care near sandbars or steep drop-offs — favorite hangouts for sharks.
- Sightings of porpoises do not indicate the absence of sharks.
- Don’t try to touch a shark if you see one!