Are all sharks dangerous?

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The media sometimes report shark attacks on swimmers, divers or surfers. The injuries suffered by the victims are often spectacular and sometimes fatal. That feeds our fears of these predators and leads us to believe that all sharks are dangerous. So what’s the truth here?

Scientists recognize at least 450 species of shark. Of these, barely five are considered dangerous to humans, namely, the tiger shark, great white shark, bull shark, mako shark, and oceanic whitetip shark.

Almost all sharks are formidable predators. But the largest species, like the whale-shark, which can be 18 metres in length, and the basking shark, feed mainly on plankton by filtering ocean water.

In spite of the growing number of recreational boaters and fishers in seaside locations, the number of accidents caused by sharks remains extremely low. In the entire world, there are fewer than 80 unprovoked attacks annually. Of this number, only four or five are fatal, often because the resulting injuries were treated too late.

In the United States, for instance, only ten deaths resulting from shark bites were documented between 2001 and 2010, whereas domestic dogs caused the deaths of 263 persons over the same period.

The danger of these (shark) attacks is not always related to a bite, as a swipe of the tail can cause damage. Because of their roughness, the shark’s skin and fins can cause significant injuries just by grazing human skin.

Many accidents occur because enthusiasts try to attract sharks with blood or food. In fact, when a shark bites a human, it’s usually by accident. Having mistaken the human for its usual prey, it generally doesn’t continue the attack and prefers to make itself scarce.

Some advice for avoiding sharks during your next trip to the seaside: stay close to shore, don’t swim alone, and above all, don’t feed them!

 

More from this author by clicking on his photo below.

Jacques Prescott

 

Jacques Prescott131 Posts

Jacques Prescott est biologiste, professeur associé à la Chaire en éco-conseil de l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. Spécialiste de la biodiversité et du développement durable, il est l’auteur de nombreux livres et articles sur la faune et la conservation de la nature. Il nous fait l’honneur de rejoindre notre équipe de collaborateurs et signera chaque mois une chronique intitulée Faune et flore. / Jacques Prescott is a biologist, associate professor with the Chair in Eco-Counselling of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. A specialist in biodiversity and sustainable development, he is the author of numerous books and articles about wildlife and nature conservation. He has honoured us by joining our team of contributors and will write a monthly column entitled Wildlife and Habitat.

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