How and why do sharks attack people?

We haven't encountered predators in a long time.Sharks, bears and wolves today do not pose a threat to residents of megacities, and the development of technology, along with comfortable living conditions, have turned wild animals into bloodthirsty monsters from horror films. True, in real life there is no evidence that sharks prey on people, and the vast majority of attacks do occur by accident. In rare cases, such attacks lead to the death of the victim. The researchers note that people pose a serious danger to sharks, and over the past few years, bite victims have increased. One of the reasons lies in the poor eyesight of young white sharks, who perceive surfers and swimmers as seals and sea lions (a favorite food of marine predators).

The researchers note that there is no real evidence that sharks actively prey on humans.

According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, about 10 people die each year as a result of shark attacks worldwide.

Why do sharks attack people?

Sharks are a diverse group predominantlypredatory fish that plied the seas before the advent of dinosaurs, and their distant ancestor is the giant megalodon (Otodus megalodon), which disappeared from the face of the Earth about three million years ago. Shark teeth and scales suggest that these animals have evolved over 450 million years ago (such data is provided by the Natural History Museum in London).

Today, sharks play a vitalrole in terrestrial ecosystems, and their contact with humans occurs infrequently. And yet in recent years, these predatory fish have shown more and more aggression. One of the reasons for this behavior lies in the changed eating habits of sharks, which is due to human fault.

As shark expert Jackson Hooten told CNN, These animals rarely bite humans., and the vast majority of attacks are accidental.

As recent studies have shown, the number of sharks in some parts of the planet is increasing.

As a rule, sharks eat what they find inits habitat. But when people feed fish from boats with food that is unnatural for sharks (like meat), problems begin. So, for the first time in 60 years in Sydney, a young surfer became a victim of a shark, and in July 2022, two people died at one of the Egyptian resorts on the Red Sea coast.

According to data provided by the Internationalshark attack report, there were 73 shark-human collisions in 2021, some of which were fatal. Another reason for the attacks is the increase in the number of seals along the coastlines of the United States and Australia - a favorite prey of great white sharks.

More on the topic: During the full moon, sharks become aggressive and attack people more often

In such a cruel way, sharks react to meat.

As one of the presenters told BBC journalistsAccording to shark expert Gavin Naylor, the more sharks and people are in the same place, the more likely they are to collide with each other. Other reasons for their violent behavior include habitat destruction, changing water quality, climate change, and changes in prey distribution.

All these factors lead to sharks congregate in large numbers at certain points around the world, and meetthey can be found in all kinds of oceanic habitats, including the open ocean, coral reefs, and under arctic ice. It turns out that these marine predators make their homes in waters all over the planet, and some of them migrate great distances in search of food and partners.

Interesting fact
There are dozens of different types of sharks, but more oftenIn total, people meet great white sharks, tiger sharks and blunt-nosed sharks. So, in the movie "Jaws" the bloodthirsty monster is the white shark - the most dangerous species in the oceans.

sea ​​monsters

July 2nd us Egyptian resort Hurghada whiteshark attacked a 63-year-old tourist from Australia. While swimming, the woman encountered a sea animal that bit off her leg and arm. Unfortunately, it was not possible to save the victim - she died in an ambulance from her injuries. The next day, in the area of ​​​​the resort of Sahl Hasheesh, south of Hurghada, another vacationer became a victim of a shark.

Sharks feed on what their habitat is filled with, so attacking a person is unnatural for a shark.

Of all the shark species, over 300 are involved inattacks on people. If a shark sees a person splashing in the water, it may accidentally attack him (solely out of curiosity). Since many people hunt for sharks, some species of these animals are endangered.

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Since young white sharks have poor vision, theymay attack surfers and divers, mistaking them for seals or sea lions. Moreover, as the results of previous studies have shown, many attacks are committed by young sharks.

How to avoid an attack

Due to the growing aggressiveness of sharks, experts have drawn up a number of rules, thanks to which a collision with a predator in the water will not occur:

• • Swim in groups
• • Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk
• • Stay away from crowds of fish, especially if they jump out of the water.
• • Don't wear jewelry. The fact is that the light reflected from the metal, or the clock, can look like a fish rushing at a shark.
• • Sharks are attracted by the noise of injured animals and if you splash in the water, the shark will definitely pay attention to you.

In a word, if you are relaxing at a resort, compliance withThese simple rules will help you enjoy your vacation without becoming a curious shark's dinner. In addition, do not forget that you and I pose a much greater threat to them than they do to us: people systematically destroy their population, and about 100 million individuals are selected annually for catching.

People hunt sharks more often than you might think.

Earlier, my colleague Ramis Geniev talked about the easiest way to survive after a shark attack, don't miss it!

Unfortunately, hunting for sharks can lead to an ecological imbalance, and if this continues, the extinction of these ancient predatory animals could lead to disaster.