Shark Encounters to Increase As Population Grows

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Shark attacks are rare.  Actually you are far more likely to get struck by lightning than you are to be bitten by a shark.  According to experts, however, they’re only going to increase in number. In fact, the rate of “unprovoked” shark attacks has been steadily rising for the last century.

APTOPIX Great White Shark Bite
In this photo by Laura Joyce, two men carry a swimmer, second from right, after he was bitten by a great white shark off Southern California’s Manhattan Beach, July 5, 2014. (AP Photo/goofyfootphotography.com, Laura Joyce)

It’s not that sharks are developing a particular taste for humans: It’s the expanding human population that’s actually to blame. “If we look at the number of shark attacks in any given place in any given year and compare that to population growth in those areas, we find that shark attacks match the growth curve of the human population in that region,” shark researcher George Burgess tells NBC News.

The human population will near 11 billion by 2050, while some shark species are also growing in number in light of efforts to thwart overfishing and the cruel practice of finning.

At the same time, water activities are more popular than a generation ago, sending humans into shark turf, Burgess writes at the Conversation. “More sharks and people are likely to be in close proximity to one another, leading to more attacks,” a Florida State University researcher says, noting the number of attacks per 100,000 beach visitors remains stable.

Of 72 unprovoked attacks in 2014, 52 occurred in the US, though less than one person dies in the US from shark attacks each year on average, compared to six deaths worldwide, LiveScience reports. Burgess says he’s “confident” attacks will become more common in the next 15 years. If you’d rather avoid a shark encounter, don’t swim at dusk, dawn, nighttime, or near where someone is fishing, and leave flashy jewelry on the beach; sharks may confuse shiny pieces with fish scales.

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Professor Mike

Professor Mike is a left-leaning, dog loving, political junkie. He has written dozens of articles for Substack, Medium, Simily, and Tribel. Professor Mike has been published at Smerconish.com, among others. He is a strong proponent of the environment, and a passionate protector of animals. In addition he is a fierce anti-Trumper. Take a moment and share his work.
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Ross Kardon
8 years ago

We are much more of a threat to sharks than they could ever be to us as human beings. We can choose to stay out of the water. Sharks cannot avoid encounters with us. Sharks cannot avoid being taken for their fins and then being left to suffer a painful death from having their dorsal fins amputated.

Sharks can do nothing about the ocean pollution that is destroying their home. Only we as humans can support environmental organizations such Save Our Seas, Greenpeace, and other environmental groups and sign online petitions to take action on environmental problems, like I often do.

I would just love it if there was a remake of the 1975 movie JAWS, from the shark’s point of view!

jess
8 years ago

Maybe they will help us rid the gene pool if idiots go in the water. Just not when I am in the area maybe swimming or surfing, if they could leave me alone and go after morons I would be thankful.

8 years ago

Hahahahahaha! Especially me! The shark v. hit by lightning thing. The only use I have for the water, is so I don’t have to chew my coffee.

8 years ago

When I was doing sailboat deliveries, hither and yon, wherever those places actually are, I was often asked by non-boating people, “Aren’t you worried about sharks?”

“No, I made a deal with them. I will stay out of their home, the water, and they will stay out of my boat. It’s worked very well for both of us.”

I am always annoyed by the term, “shark infested waters.” Dammit, that is their home. Humans have infested it with garbage, sewage, and all manner of obnoxious noises. Who can blame the if they get a bit testy?

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