Out of the 360 known shark species, only four are reported to have caused several fatal attacks on humans. Out of these four, the Great White shark stands out as the most dangerous by far. “The Great White“ has killed more humans in unprovoked attacks than the others combined, and with its 6 meters in length (20ft) and weight of 2250 kg (5000 lb) , it spreads fear along many of the world’s coastlines.
The habitat of this predator is mainly areas around the USA, Australia, South Africa and Japan. They reach maturity around 15, and live until they are approximately 30 years old. Because of their acute hearing, sharp eyesight and keen sense of smell, they are excellent hunters. In addition to this they can swim up to speeds of 69 km an hour (43 miles), and they have teeth that can grow to be 6 cm (2, 5 inches). Their diet range from small fish like tuna, to dolphins, seals and even whales. Only in few circumstances will they turn their aim against human beings.
The phenomenon that humans are attacked by sharks is very rare. Especially when you consider the fact that there are millions who wade or swim in the worlds oceans every year. Less than 100 are bitten every year, and only a few will have received fatal injuries. As mentioned before though, the great white shark is the main perpetrator of these killings, with the Tiger shark being a distant second. One of the reasons is that “the great white” is an apex predator. This means that it is on the top of the food chain, with no predators of its own. If it gets in contact with a human, especially if provoked, it can attack and kill it. Another reason is that it often mistakes humans for seals or other animals that are part of their regular diet.
Fear of sharks is a worldwide phenomenon, but the occurrence of shark attacks is greatly exaggerated. Novels and movies like Deep Blue See and Jaws (produced by Steven Spielberg) haven’t exactly helped in calming the paranoia. Here they are usually portrayed as vicious and aggressive predators, attacking boats and people near the shore. Even though a shark attack is very unlikely to take place, it is important to take precautions. This is especially relevant to where the number of great white sharks are known to be high. Some of the recommended advice is to not go too deep into the water, don’t wear flashy jewelry and try to stay together in groups (as the great white sharks likes to target individual victims). Surfers (who are daredevils by nature) are in fact the group that is most likely to be attacked by sharks, because they are deep out on the water and their actions can be perceived as threatening to the shark. If you ever get near one, get away, for the great white shark is the true “King of the Ocean”.
Filed under: Nature Tagged: animals, great white shark, jaws, King of the Ocean, predators, sharks 
