Sharks are popular animals. Which other creatures are featured for a week annually on the Discovery Channel? They are utterly fascinating to many people, whether they admire them or live in terror of them, or both. Shark tourism is a global industry as people hope to view these vertebrates in aquariums or from boats. Or in more extreme cases, swimming alongside them in protective cages or free-range. However, people who meet sharks face to face can agree with the shark-phobics on one thing: Neither want to see the inside of a shark. But after a camera’s unlikely attack from a hungry tiger shark, people finally get the chance to do so.
A First-Person View of a Shark Bite
On February 9, diver Andrea Ramos Nascimento was feeding tiger sharks off the coast of the Bahamas, reports People. An underwater camera was recording the creatures as they came and went but one shark seemed to get greedy. It began to snap at the diver holding the camera, and may have swallowed some of the diver’s equipment. Then there’s a moment of confused darkness, but as the camera got its bearings, it captured a remarkable angle: the inside of the shark’s jaws. As the lens tips, it alternates between showing the inner gills and the stunned faces of the divers just beyond the shark’s maw.
The creature seemed to try to swallow the camera, showing off its razor-sharp teeth in the process. Eventually, the divers managed to safely rescue the camera as the shark tried to snap its jaws to keep them away. At last, the video ended with the camera floating away before being grabbed by a diver.
The Unlikelihood of a Shark Attack
The 2024 Florida Museum’s International Shark File reports 88 alleged shark attacks from that year. The researchers confirmed 47 unprovoked shark bites on humans and 24 provoked bites (which occur when humans initiate the interaction). Additionally, there were seven confirmed shark-related deaths, four of which were categorized as unprovoked. Unlike what horror movies suggest, shark attacks are not a prominent concern for most people. In fact, they are extremely rare.
Unlike Bruce, the monster from Jaws, sharks don’t hunt humans. They are not a part of their natural diet. Sharks are opportunistic feeders, meaning they go for easy prey such as smaller fish and invertebrates. Larger species like Great Whites are known to attack seals and other marine animals. However, they may attack people if they are confused or curious about the commotion, according to the National Ocean Service. But they have much more reason to fear humans, since they are hunted for their meat, skin, organs, and fins.
How to Defend Yourself
However, if you are that statistical anomaly and end up in a situation where you must defend yourself from a shark attack, here are a few tips to keep in mind, says Catherine Macdonald, director of the Shark Research & Conservation Program at the University of Miami, to NPR. Step one is the same as any encounter with wild animals: Stay calm and try to calmly exit the situation.
If the shark tries to bite, fight back. “At the point at which you’re in an animal’s mouth, I would go for those sensitive spots — eyes, gills — that are going to make it regret having you in its mouth,” Macdonald says. “But I want to always caveat that with: Until you’re in its mouth, keep your hands to yourself.” You can also use nearby objects as weapons, like surfboards, fishing gear, and diving equipment.
How to Reduce the Likelihood of a Shark Attack
As far as prevention goes, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers advice such as stay in a group, don’t swim at night or twilight when sharks are more likely to hunt, avoid the water with an open wound or while menstruating, don’t wear shiny jewelry in the water, and don’t enter waters where sharks are known to occupy.
But remember, sharks’ terrifying reputation is largely undeserved, especially when considering other dangers present while swimming, like dehydration and riptides. Even pet dogs can pose more of a hazard than sharks. As Macdonald concludes: “When people ask me about safety risks at the beach and what they should be worried about, I tell them that the most dangerous thing they’ll do that day is probably drive to the beach.”
Read More: Scientist Witness Great White Shark Eating a Rival Shark For The First Time