All due respect to Joey Paur of GeekTyrant, but swimming with sharks is actually said to be safer than a number of things in this world since despite the many stories and rumors that started and have persisted since Jaws was released, the aquatic death machines aren’t all that interested in human beings on the average and will usually only attack if they’re agitated, in a frenzy, or are in some way provoked. It’s true that a good number of sharks will come in to test and see if a human is food or not, but as a human tends to feel around with fingers, toes, and attempts to sort out what’s in front of them, sharks do this with their teeth according to many wildlife specialists. A questioning nibble could look pretty disastrous to some folks but to a shark it’s the equivalent of test to see whether or not what’s in front of them is food. Like any organism a shark has to consume fuel in order to keep moving, and if a person is in their domain then they’re going to likely take a chomp if something looks appetizing and see if it is in fact a food source or not. A lot of sharks won’t waste time or energy on humans unless they’re otherwise provoked.
There’s no doubt about it, sharks are scary animals since they’ve got a mouth full of teeth with multiple rows that just keep growing as they’re needed. Plus, each tooth is like a miniature saw if one has ever looked at them up close. This and the fact that sharks will literally rip flesh from their prey is a very worrying part about the giant fish that a lot of people allow to fester and build in their mind as they think over just how terrifying it would be to find themselves in a shark’s domain. Like it or not, human beings can’t match the aquatic creatures since sharks can glide in and out before a lot of people can react, taking nips or full-on bites that can be absolutely devastating to divers and could in fact attract more sharks. This is another reason it could possibly be dangerous to swim with sharks, as any blood in the water, depending on where you’re at, could easily attract quite a few sharks since when that precious life fluid hits the ocean it’s kind of like ringing a dinner bell. Again though, sharks don’t tend to take after humans unless they’re being provoked, or the human in question looks like a prey animal or is seen to be in distress. A frantically splashing swimmer or diver can attract a shark since to the shark it could mean an easy meal in the making.
But generally, sharks don’t attack humans without reason, as many animals don’t attack just because they feel like it. Humans are usually the only animals on this planet that will attack without provocation, and even we tend to give some sort of reasoning behind our aggressive movements. With sharks though, one thing you can count on is that if you’re in their domain, the chances are good that they’ll be curious, and they might even want to take a closer look at just what you are and whether or not you’re a food source. Richard Gray of BBC has more to offer on this idea. Divers in full gear can very closely resemble seals when it comes to sharks, just as a surfer on their board, from below, might resemble a sea turtle. Sharks have evolved throughout millions of years, but like it or not they’re still predatory animals that are looking for food, and it’s bound to happen that they get things wrong a time or two. One thing that the diver did correctly at least was to remain calm and not thrash about even though his head was in the shark’s mouth at one point. Much as it is with any other animal, the moment a shark senses distress is the moment that their attacks become even more aggressive. It’s this way with a lot of predatory animals, the more distress that’s shown, the more enticing it is to bring down that prey.
All in all though the odds of being attacked by a shark in the water are longer than being struck by lightning or being involved in a car crash. Sharks might appear scary, intimidating, and have definitely been given a reputation that can be earned, but it’s not entirely realistic. Sharks can indeed be violent animals and have shown this in the past, but left alone they’re actually kind of impressive to watch as they glide through the water and go about their business. Messing around with them of course isn’t wise and it’s usually best to not provoke them in any way, but there are those moments when sharks can just be jerks too, kind of like any animal.
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