SHARK !
With beady eyes, huge jaws and pearly white teeth the size of our thumbs, it’s no surprise that sharks scare the living daylights out of us. With close encounters with the shark kind plastered across the news this summer, one could easily be fooled into thinking that shark attacks are not an anomaly, but rather business as usual at the beach. If you’re planning a summer getaway to a coastal resort, however, rest assured that fatal shark attacks are, according to statistics, incredibly rare when factored against the number of snorkelers, swimmers, surfers and others who venture into the ocean each year.
Most shark attacks are a case of mistaken identity with the animal confusing surfers and swimmers for seals and other marine animals. Merely nudging a human being is the most common interaction, and if sharks do bite, they typically let go in search of a more typical prey. In fact, shark teeth are lined with nerve endings that can sense the calorie-rich blubber of a seal, as opposed to the bone and muscle filling most humans.
If you find yourself eye to eye with a shark, it is recommended a proactive response. “Hitting a shark on the nose, ideally with an inanimate object, usually results in the shark temporarily curtailing its attack. (You can take this for what it's worth... I'm getting the heck out of there !) If a shark actually bites, we suggest clawing at its eyes and gills, two sensitive areas. One should not act passively if under attack - sharks respect size and power.”
Shark attacks are more likely to occur during the twilight hours when sharks are most active. Yet, the risk of a shark attack remains extremely low (about 1 in 11.5 million). There have been just 152 reported fatalities since records began in 1580. By comparison, there have been twice as many deaths from alligators in the U.S. than by sharks. Man's best friend is even more deadly. Dogs are responsible for more than 200 human fatalities in the last decade alone, while the everyday bee kills an average of 500 people worldwide annually.
The shark species that pose the greatest risks to humans are Great White, Tiger Shark, Bull Shark and Oceanic Whitetip Shark.
Great White Shark - Most swimmers needn't worry about running into a great white shark though; they usually stay in deep waters and are fairly rare. But that elusiveness serves to make them even more frightening to some. Great whites are the largest predatory fish on Earth. They grow to an average of 15 feet in length, though specimens exceeding 20 feet and weighing up to 5,000 pounds have been recorded. Great whites can detect one drop of blood in 25 gallons of water and can sense even tiny amounts of blood in the water up to 3 miles away.
Tiger Sharks - Tiger sharks tend to be both curious and aggressive when they spot humans in the water. This sharks inhabits coastal waters close to shore to outer continental shelf. Tiger sharks are common in tropical and sub-tropical waters throughout the world. Large specimens can grow to as much as 20 to 25 feet in length and weigh more than 1,900 pounds. The tiger shark's reputation as an indiscriminate eater that will swallow anything it finds, including garbage, has earned it the nickname "wastebasket of the sea."
Bull Shark - Great Whites get most of the headlines but Bull Sharks may be the most dangerous shark of them all. This species can be found primarily in shallow coastal waters and is common in lagoons, bays, and river mouths. Bull sharks can also be found in fresh water that connects with salt water.
Oceanic Whitetip Shark - The shark is described as opportunistic, bold and unpredictable around divers and thus should be "treated with extreme caution." The oceanic whitetip shark lives near the surface in warm waters in the open ocean, usually well offshore.
Great White, Tiger and Bull Sharks -- are responsible for 99 percent of all attacks, according to the International Shark Attack File.
8 Tips to Avoid a Shark Attack
- Do not go in the water at dawn or dusk; everything is in the shark’s favor. Shark attacks around midday are very rare.
- Avoid large groups of seals or sea lions, or if you see these creatures on the beach or near the shoreline, beware.
- If you are bleeding, stay out of the water. Sharks can detect even the smallest amount of blood.
- Stay clear of fishing boats.
- The murkier the water, the easier it is for a shark to sense you without your seeing the shark. Shark attacks are more likely to occur than when the water is clear.
- Leave the water quickly and calmly if a shark is sighted. Avoid excessive splashing or arm and leg movement.Erratic movements portray distress and can attract sharks.
- Do not swim, dive or surf alone. Sharks are more likely to bite a single person.
- Do not wear jewelry or shiny bathing suits. Glistening light looks like fish scales to a shark’s eye.
Here are five sharks that commonly cruise North Carolina waters:
Sand Sharks
Tiger Sharks
Black Tip Sharks
Bull Sharks
Oceanic White Tip
Remember - “Shark attacks are rare and it doesn’t matter whether you call them attacks or bites or bumps – your chances of having any of them are slim,”
Don't let Shark Week scare you from getting in the water...