Join DiveBuddy.com

Meet new scuba divers, maintain a virtual dive log, participate in our forum, share underwater photos, research dive sites and more. Members login here.

Shark Attacks
zaheer2alvi - 10/02/2007 10:08 AM
View Member Articles
Category: Educational
Comments: 4
Shark AttacksA shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year, a number of people are attacked by sharks, although most survive. Despite the relative rarity of shark attacks, the fear of sharks is a common phenomenon, having been fueled by the occasional instances of attacks, such as the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, and by sensationalized fiction and film, such as the Jaws series. Many shark experts feel that the danger presented by sharks has been exaggerated, and even the creator of the Jaws phenomenon, the late Peter Benchley, attempted to dispel the myth of sharks being man-eating monsters in recent years. Contrary to popular belief, only a few sharks are dangerous to humans. Out of more than 360 species, only four have been involved in a significant number of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger, oceanic whitetip and bull sharks. These sharks, being large, powerful predators may sometimes attack and kill people, but all of the above sharks, even the great white, have been filmed in open water, with no cage, time and time again without problems Current statistics fail to show that the oceanic whitetip shark is often involved in unprovoked attacks; however, this is misleading because it lives in the open sea and not near coasts. It has been involved in the aftermath of many air and sea incidents. Due to its abundance in the open oceans, it is often the first species on site when a disaster happens. These attacks do not appear in historical records, because quite often these victims fail to survive to tell the tale. Infamous examples of oceanic whitetip attacks include the sinking of the Nova Scotia, a steamship carrying 1000 that was sunk near South Africa by a German submarine in World War II. Only 192 people survived, with many deaths attributed to the oceanic whitetip shark.[7] Another example was the torpedoing of the USS Indianapolis on 30 July 1945, giving a minimal figure of 60–80 killed by oceanic whitetips. Some survivors stated that tiger sharks were involved too. In addition to the four species responsible for a significant number of fatal attacks on humans, a number of other species have attacked humans without being provoked, and have on extremely rare occasions been responsible for a human death. This group includes the shortfin mako, hammerhead, Galapagos, gray reef, blacktip reef, lemon, silky and blue sharks. These sharks are also large, powerful predators which can be provoked simply by being in the water at the wrong time and place, but they are normally considered less dangerous to divers and swimmers than the previous group. A few other shark species do attack people every year, producing wounds that can potentially kill, but this occurs either specifically because they have been provoked, or through mistaken identity due to water conditions or the like.

Comments

MostestGanpa - 10/31/2007 10:39 AM
I`ve come in contact with some sandbars off the coast of Delaware; that the closet I`ve come however despite the movie depiction of sharks I really don`t have a great fear of them and even less now. I still maintain great respect for them and their space.... Thanks...
Neal - 10/03/2007 2:50 PM
Keep up the good work. Education is the key.
NWKatShark - 10/02/2007 5:29 PM
Thanks Skeeter.
SKEETER - 10/02/2007 2:08 PM
I think you should add. There has been more humans Betti-on by dogs in NY. city in one day thin sharks ever.