Sharks Don’t Want to Eat You!
But people do want selfies of sharks attacking them
In 2003, thirteen-year-old Bethany Hamilton was surfing in Kauai, Hawaii when a tiger shark attacked. The shark departed with her entire left arm in their mouth. What followed… two documentaries, nine books, the feature film Soul Surfer, and widespread fear surrounding shark attacks.
How rational are these fears?
What are the odds that a morning swim or afternoon surf could make you prey?
According to reports from the International Shark Attack File the risks are almost non-existent. Humans are more likely to be killed or injured from flying champagne corks, lightning, or power tools. In contrast, humans kill approximately 100 million sharks annually.
The International Shark Attack File compiles surveys, statistics and interactive media aimed to open a broader conversation about the misconceptions surrounding these majestic creatures.
The Shark Attack Data Interactive which we are sharing here on Skaana highlights these statistics by providing informative videos from shark experts and survivors, six-step guides to surviving a shark attack and an interactive map that allows the user to view locations of fatal and non-fatal attacks internationally.
FloridaPanhandle.com recently released some staggering survey results — 150 individuals who expressed interest in being attacked by a shark for the sake of a captivating story, assuring that they would sustain no lasting harm.
While sharks are popularly considered to be dangerous predators (cue the Jaws theme song), the statistics reveal that sharks should not be feared. Instead, humans should explore and coexist with the natural world, understanding that there is more to fear about a world without sharks than a world with them.
For more on Sharks from a Skaana perspective, please check out Skaana host, Mark Leiren-Young reading from his newest book: Sharks Forever; The Mystery and History of the Planet’s Perfect Predator available everywhere on iTunes, Spotify or our Skaana site.
