Swimmers Worry about Shark Attacks, Experts Say They Are Rare

Swimmers Worry about Shark Attacks, Experts Say They Are Rare

Recent shark bites in Florida and Hawaii and a suspected case in New Jersey¹ have raised an age-old summer question for beachgoers — is it safe to go in the water?

Scientists and researchers who study sharks said the answer to that question is yes, it is safe. Dangerous interactions between humans and sharks are uncommon², and serious injuries and deaths from the bites are rare and growing rarer, scientists said.

Still, the extraordinary nature of shark bites and the stories of survivors³ capture the imagination. In April, the story of a Hawaii surfer fighting off a shark got widespread public attention, for example. But, it is a good idea to remember just how rare shark bites truly are, scientists said.

How often do shark bites occur?

There have been around 70 to 80 unprovoked shark bites yearly, worldwide, over the past 10 years. And not only are shark bites rare, they have been especially rare recently.

There were only 57 unprovoked bites last year, and just five of them were deadly, reports the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File. There had been nine such deaths in 2021.

The shark attack file reported a year ago that one reason for the drop in bites might be the decrease of shark populations around the world.

It is too early in the warm season to get an idea of how active this year will be for interactions between humans and sharks, said Greg Skomal. He is a shark expert with the Massachusetts Division of Marine⁴ Fisheries.

"If we get lots of bait fish and forage⁵ fish species close to shore, we have a super hot summer that draws people to beaches, more people in the water, then we can determine the risk," Skomal said.

What are the most prone⁶ areas for shark encounters?

The United States and Australia are the sites of the most reported shark bites. The state of Florida led the world last year with 16 unprovoked bites, the shark attack file said.

This month, two Florida fishermen were bitten by sharks in separate incidents less than 36 hours apart.

The rate of shark bites has stayed steady in recent years. But, people may think attacks are more common because of new technology to report shark sightings, said Nick Whitney, a lead scientist at the New England Aquarium⁷ in Boston. Recently developed smartphone apps permit users to report shark sightings in real time.

What kind of sharks are cause for concern?

White sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks are the sharks most cited by the International Shark Attack File for unprovoked bites. They are large sharks that also cause the most deaths.

However, remember that many interactions with sharks are with smaller species that are unlikely to cause serious injuries, said James Sulikowski, director of the Coastal⁸ Oregon Marine Experiment Station at Oregon State University. Those sharks might bite a human, realize we are not their desired prey⁹ and move on, he said.

Is it safe to swim?

You are at much greater risk of getting hurt in a car accident on the way to the ocean than you are to get seriously injured by a shark bite when you are there.

Millions of people go to the ocean in the summer as the weather heats up, and that raises the possibility of interacting with a shark. But by taking simple steps, visitors can reduce any chance of a dangerous interaction with a shark, Sulikowski said. Such steps include avoiding the water early and late in the day when most sharks hunt for food. You should also not carry anything shiny into the water.

"We are intruders in their environment. What we can do is be logical and safe about that and avoid areas where sharks are going to be feeding," Sulikowski said. "When an interaction occurs, it's mistaken identity — we are in an area where a shark is looking to eat."

Words in This Story

provoke –v. to stir up purposely; to incite¹⁰ to anger

bait –n. something (such as food) used in luring¹¹ especially to a hook or trap

forage –v. to wander in search of forage or food

species - a class of things of the same kind and with the same name

prey –n. an animal taken by a predator¹² as food

logical –n. capable of reasoning or of using reason in an orderly cogent¹³ fashion

intruder –n. to thrust oneself in without invitation, permission, or welcome

occur –v. to happen; to come into existence

1 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

2 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

3 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

4 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 forage   

n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻

参考例句：

• They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。
• Now the nutritive value of the forage is reduced.此时牧草的营养价值也下降了。

6 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

7 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

8 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

9 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

10 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。

11 luring   

吸引，引诱（lure的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap. 奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西。
• Her training warned her of peril and of the wrong, subtle, mysterious, luring. 她的教养警告她：有危险，要出错儿，这是微妙、神秘而又诱人的。

12 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

13 cogent   

adj.强有力的，有说服力的

参考例句：

• The result is a cogent explanation of inflation.结果令人信服地解释了通货膨胀问题。
• He produced cogent reasons for the change of policy.他对改变政策提出了充分的理由。