Looking at Sharks in a New Light

Let’s face it – sharks receive a lot of negative press. Despite the astronomically low odds of ever having a bad encounter with a shark (we’ve all seen the statistics showing that you have a better chance of being killed by vending machines, cows, toilets, champagne corks, taking a selfie photo, and falling coconuts than a shark), sharks still elicit a deep-seated emotional response in many people. Perhaps it’s a fear of the unknown that hits us when we move from the safety of land back into our watery origins – scientists know more about the surface of Mars than the deep sea floor. Maybe it’s the graphic nature of shark bites – no matter how rarely they occur – that causes people to hold onto an irrational fear of an animal they’ll most likely never have a run-in with. More often than not, a fear of sharks (or snakes, or spiders…) emerges at a young age, fueled by family members who share a similar fear. TV and the internet certainly haven’t helped the shark’s reputation. Thanks to a media that’s obsessed with the sensational, even relatively minor shark bites turn into horrific, fear-evoking headlines on the national news. Then there are the multiple competing cable networks that used to run a week-long stretch of factual, science-based shark programming every summer. That programming has now morphed into a virtual horror fest of murdering sharks, zombie sharks, man-eating sharks… You get the idea.

It’s important to remember that most shark bites in Florida are a case of mistaken identity. Simply put, sharks generally don’t eat people! Even huge white sharks, which do naturally feed on human-sized prey, don’t seem to like how we taste, and rarely come back for a second bite. By following the below precautions, you can greatly reduce your chances of being mistaken for something edible by a hungry – but not murdering, man-eating, or zombified – shark. Please don’t let your fear of sharks prevent you from enjoying the ocean this summer! To set your mind at ease, think about the millions of marine biologists, surfers, scuba divers, and swimmers who practically live in the ocean, but have never been bitten by a shark.

Avoid swimming during low-light conditions

Sharks do much of their feeding around dawn and dusk. Being in the water during those hours probably isn’t the best idea. Whether you see them or not, sharks have a constant presence on Florida’s beaches. When the light is low, there’s a much better chance that these sharks are actively hunting rather than just cruising around on autopilot. In low-light conditions, the splash of a hand or foot might be mistaken for a baitfish. Remember that sharks home in on vibrations and minute electrical fields created by their prey, and when light is low, vision plays a very small role in hunting (or separating a fish from a swimmer’s foot).

Avoid murky or dirty water

Along the same lines, murky or dirty water conditions greatly reduce the role of a shark’s vision in hunting. Sharks need to react quickly in order to catch their dinner. A hand or foot shooting past a shark’s face in dirty water can trigger a reaction bite. Color contrasts – like a tan foot sticking out of a black wetsuit leg – can trick a shark’s eyesight in dirty water. That baitfish-sized foot stands out more than the wetsuit, creating an easy target for a shark to focus on. In clear water, most of our local sharks are actually pretty shy, and will give you a wide berth.

Don’t swim near baitfish schools

If you see baitfish schools off the beach, it’s a safe bet that predators, including sharks, are nearby. Swimming in or near bait schools can lead to accidental encounters with sharks. When sharks feed, a protective eyelid (aka “nictitating membrane”) slides over their eyes, essentially rendering them blind for a split second before they bite. If a shark is feeding in a bait school and accidentally bumps into you, there’s a good chance that it will react by closing its eyelids and biting. To the shark, you are just another baitfish. Surfing during the fall mullet run has sent more than a few unlucky people to the emergency room for a couple of stitches.

Use common sense when spearfishing

Spearfishermen account for a large percentage of shark bites. Sharks are attracted by the smell of blood in the water and vibrations produced by speared fish. Think about it – you’re essentially creating an underwater chum slick that follows you everywhere you go. A stringer of speared fish can be irresistible to a hungry shark – which might accidentally bite the hand that’s holding the stringer. If you are spearing, and sharks start acting overly curious or aggressive, pull up and move to another spot. A few fish in the cooler aren’t worth a trip to the hospital.

Zack Jud, Ph.D., is the Director of Education at Florida Oceanographic Society.