| Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could | | | | * Brazil |
| have turned into a disaster: He was attacked by a | | | | * South Africa |
| seven-foot bronze whaler shark while surfing about | | | | * Reunion Island (in the Indian Ocean) |
| 100 yards out from Sydney's Bronte Beach. | | | | * The Bahamas, Cuba, Egypt, Fiji, New Zealand and |
| Fortunately, the man, Simon Letch, stayed calm and | | | | Venezuela (tied) |
| "shoved the board at [the shark] like a barge pole." | | | | ***** In the United States, you're more likely to be killed |
| After taking two bites of the fiberglass board, the | | | | by a deer (through auto accidents), dog, snake or |
| shark swam away and Letch surfed back to shore. | | | | mountain lion than you are by a shark. ***** |
| "It was only about 10 or 15 seconds that I was waiting | | | | How to Prevent Shark Attacks |
| for a wave but it seemed like an eternity," Letch said. | | | | First and foremost, if you want to be sure a shark |
| You'd think that this Jaws-style attack would have | | | | won't attack you ... don't go in the ocean. Next on the |
| kept Letch on land, at least for the rest of the day, but | | | | list is, don't go in the water if you see a shark, and then |
| the lifeguard said he came back 30 minutes later, | | | | don't go in if you're bleeding-sharks can detect even |
| replacement board in hand, ready to surf. | | | | minute amounts of blood from very far away (this |
| Afraid to Get Back in the Water? | | | | applies even to menstruating women). The Florida |
| Just how likely are you to come across your own | | | | Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department |
| "Jaws" while wading in the surf or snorkeling with | | | | offers these other shark safety tips: |
| some Angel Fish? | | | | * Swim in groups-sharks are most likely to attack a |
| According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), | | | | person who's alone. |
| 1,909 confirmed shark attacks have occurred around | | | | * Don't swim too far from shore (you're farther away |
| the world-between 1580 and 2003! Of these, 737 | | | | from help and more isolated). |
| happened in the United States, and 38 people died as | | | | * Don't go in the water at night or during twilight hours |
| a result. Hardly alarming numbers, but the actual | | | | when sharks are most active. |
| number of shark attacks isn't really known because | | | | * Leave shiny jewelry at home-a shark could mistake |
| many areas keep them under wraps so tourism isn't | | | | it for shiny fish scales. |
| affected. | | | | * Don't swim in areas used by commercial or sport |
| Unprovoked shark attacks, the kind where a shark in | | | | fisherman where bait is used often (if there are diving |
| its natural habitat attacks a (live) human without any | | | | seabirds around, it's likely this is the case). |
| apparent reason, do seem to be on the rise, though, | | | | * Don't swim if you have an uneven tan-sharks don't |
| say the researchers behind ISAF. | | | | like tan lines! (seriously, the contrast could attract them). |
| In 2004, there were 61 unprovoked shark attacks | | | | * The same goes for bright colored clothing-sharks |
| recorded worldwide (seven were fatal), up from 57 in | | | | may be attracted to it. |
| 2003. Overall, this number has been growing for the | | | | * Don't splash excessively or swim with pets (who |
| past 100 years, and more people were attacked in the | | | | may thrash around and attract a shark). |
| 1990s than in any other decade (and so far it seems | | | | * Be careful around steep drop-offs or when between |
| that the current decade will break last decade's | | | | sandbars (these are two areas sharks love). |
| record). | | | | What to do if a Shark Attacks |
| ***** Your odds of being attacked by a shark? 1 in 11.5 | | | | In the unlikely event that a shark does attack ... swim ... |
| million, says the International Shark Attack File. Being | | | | and fast. Seriously, if you see a shark the best thing to |
| killed by a shark? 0 in 264.1 million. Your risk of | | | | do is stay calm and swim quickly, but smoothly, back |
| drowning, for comparison? 1 in 2 million. ***** | | | | to the shore or surface. |
| Keep in mind, though, that if you're involved in a shark | | | | If the shark actually attacks, you should first try to hit it |
| attack that's deemed "provoked," that attack will not | | | | on the tip of its nose (use whatever you have with |
| be included in the tally. What constitutes a provoked | | | | you-a spear or camera if you're diving, a surfboard as |
| shark attack or an attack that's not "unprovoked"? | | | | Letch did, or your own fist). The shark should go away |
| Those that involve: | | | | long enough for you to calmly, but quickly, swim away |
| * Sharks and divers in public aquaria or research | | | | (Discomforting side note: If you can't get away, and the |
| holding pens | | | | shark comes back, hitting it on the nose will become |
| * "Scavenge damage" to already dead humans | | | | less and less effective). |
| (typically drowning victims) | | | | If the shark bites and you're stuck in its mouth, be as |
| * Attacks on boats | | | | aggressive as you can. Go for the sensitive areas of |
| * Attacks in which a human initiates contact with a | | | | the eyes and gill openings and hit the shark, hard. Don't |
| shark (such as a diver grabbing a shark) | | | | "play dead," as this won't help. As soon as the shark |
| Why are shark attacks on the rise? It's less | | | | releases, get out of the water as quickly as you can |
| complicated than you may think ... Say the researchers | | | | (don't hang around because once there's blood in the |
| at ISAF, it's because humans are spending more time | | | | water, the shark will likely come back to attack again). |
| in the water. | | | | Chances are very, very small of being attacked by a |
| Where Are Shark Attacks Most Common? | | | | shark, though, so don't let Hollywood's version of a |
| Though images of Great Whites gliding through | | | | man-eating Jaws (or the disturbing images of the film |
| Australia's Great Barrier Reef may come to mind, | | | | "Open Water") keep you from enjoying the surf. |
| most shark attacks happen in North American waters. | | | | If it makes you feel any better, there are plenty of |
| Within the United States, shark attacks happen most | | | | other things to worry about while you're at the beach |
| often in Florida and then in: | | | | that are more likely to happen than a shark attack ... |
| * California | | | | things like dehydration, jellyfish and stingray stings, |
| * Texas | | | | cutting your foot on a seashell, sunburn, and sand |
| * Hawaii | | | | getting wedged in private places, just to name a few. |
| * North Carolina | | | | Sources |
| * Alabama, Oregon and South Carolina (tied) | | | | Seattle Post-Intelligencer April 19, 2005 |
| Worldwide, after North American waters, the most | | | | International Shark Attack File |
| shark attacks occur in: | | | | Sharks! |
| * Australia | | | | |