Sharks Attack: The odds of getting attacked

The chances of being attacked by a shark and being killed by one are 1 in 3,748,067. Fireworks (1 in 340,733), lightning (1 in 79,746), drowning (1 in 1,134), a car accident (1 in 84), stroke (1 in 24). or heart disease are all more likely to kill you in your lifetime (1 in 5). Every year, 70 to 100 shark attacks occur around the world, with 5 to 15 deaths.

However,

Humans kill almost 100 million sharks each year.

COVID-19’s impact on the number of bites

According to the yearly summary. Published by the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. Shark attacks fell globally in 2020 for the third consecutive year. Compared to 64 in 2019 and 66 in 2018, to 57 unprovoked bites. The world average of the last five years has dropped to 80 occurrences each year.

In the past three years, worldwide shark attacks have declined. For example, 2017 estimated around 88 bites. Where as 2020 saw around 57.

The question remains if COVID-19 lockdowns and an abnormally low number of bites for a quiet year for tourism. Or whether the bumping represents the problem of collecting information during a pandemic.

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What if you find a shark in the water?

Humans are not part of most sharks’ natural diet. Despite their frightening reputation, Sharks rarely attack humans prefering instead to prey on fish and marine mammals. Only a few dozen of the more than 300 shark species have been involved in human attacks.

  • Maintain a calm demeanor and avoid making unexpected moves.
  • Slowly make your way to the shore or a boat, whichever is closest.
  • While swimming, do not thrash your arms, kick, or splash.
  • Do not get in the way of the shark. If you’re between the shark and the open water, get out of the way.

A History of Shark Attacks

Notable Attack

Shirley Ann Durdin

Plunged to Australia’s Peake Bay in 1985, when she was attacked by a white shark around 20 feet long. The colossal fish hit the 33-year-old halfway during his first strike. While her husband and four kids watched the coast in fear. When the savior came, her decapitated corpse was floating in the sea. The Sharp then returned consuming the rest of her body.

Jersey Shore attacks

During the fatal war wave of 1916, four people were murdered. During a spate of attacks on the shore of New Jersey in the US. Charles Vansant, the first victim, 25, died after the sharks had torn the skin of his thigh. When he was taking swimming early in the evening. Five days later, after a shark was gunned down in his abdomen. Charles Bruder, who was 27, was shot and broke his legs when he went off Spring Lake beach.

Six days later, at Matawan Creek, the last attacks took place on 12 July. A 12 year-old was pulled beneath while sprinkling with friends at the stream. Stanley Fisher, 24 years old jumped in to find Stillwell but was bitten by the shark himself. Two days later, 150 feet upstream, the mutilated body of the 12-year-old was found.

Types of attacks

Provoked Attack

Human beings touching sharks trigger provoked attacks. This often requires removing or unhooking sharks from fishing nets. Nevertheless, cases involving divers being attacked after a shark was grabbed or fed while underwater.

Unprovoked attacks

Unprovoked attacks occur when first contact is made by the sharks. Three forms can be taken:

Hit-and-Run

These are attacks close to beaches when sharks try to harvest live fish. They can mistake human motions. Generally on the surface, for those of their natural diet. Fish, via surfing, strong currents and turquoise water. The fish picks up, releases and departs the area quickly. Legs or feet are commonly bitten; injuries are generally mild and fatalities are rare.

Bump-and-Bite Attacks

Attacks occur when the sharks circle and actually bump the victim. Before biting with their head or body. The shark may strike repeatedly and cause severe harm or death as in the sneak attack.

Reasons for attacks

Sharks are known to attack people if they are confused or curious. A shark might attempt to examine a human being splashing in the water. That causes an unintentional attack. Nevertheless, sharks have to dread human beings more than we do.

Shark Species most involved in incidents

Tiger sharks

Unprovoked tiger shark attacks are slightly larger than bull sharks’ attacks. As of April 2021, 131 attacks, including 34 deaths, were committed by the tiger sharks. Whereas 117 attacks were carried out, which led to 25 fatalities.

Blacktip Sharks

42 reported attacks by blacktip sharks on people have been place. However only one result has been in an unprovoked fatality. Although saltwater is normally preferred by blacktips. The mouths, blands. Mangrove swamps and in another estuaries are often observed close to the shore.

Hammerhead Sharks

The #1 threat for all Hammerhead Shark species is human beings. Human attacks are very infrequent. Only three of the 9 Hammerhead species have ever attacked a human. (Great, Scalloped, and Smooth Hammerheads). These sharks are safer for divers in open seas most of the time.

Great White Shark

In the history of California. There have been just 99 unprovoked attacks by sharks.

Bull Shark

The statistics for the bull shark are quite amazing. This shark has already been one of the three most dangerous sharks. By a total of 121 assaults including 25 unspecific fatal attacks.

Sharks Attack Prevention

How to avoid sharks

  • Do not swim alone and stay close to the shore.
    Do not swim in the dawn or te dark.
  • Don’t go swimming or fishing around fishing schools.
  • Avoid using jewelry.
  • Avoid splashing excessively.

Sharks Barrier

The Shark barriers function on the concept that sharks are excluded from a defined swimming area. The barriers are considered to be an environmentally acceptable solution, since they eliminate bycatch in large numbers. However the same region as the slaughter techniques cannot be protected.

Sharks Nets

The Shark Nets reduce the amount of resident sharks. Most effectively since these sharks are more likely to meet the net over time. They don’t prohibit sharks from entering or leaving the shore. They work by enclosing sharks which by accident swim in.

Sharks Drum Lines

Drum lines are usually used alongside shark nets in order to kill sharks. SMART drum lines may be used to relocate sharks. This significantly lowers death of the fish and bycatch. Drum lines have been used successfully to reduce shark attacks.

Featured Image source : Sea photo created by wirestock – www.freepik.com

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