Originally Posted by
sharkbait9
http:///forum/post/2468287
http://animals.nationalgeographic.co...ull-shark.html
here is a little blurb from the link up top
Because of these characteristics, many experts consider bull sharks to be the most dangerous sharks in the world. Historically, they are joined by their more famous cousins, great whites and tiger sharks, as the three species most likely to attack humans.
From same article
They are found cruising the shallow, warm waters of all the world’s oceans. Fast, agile predators, they will eat almost anything they see, including fish, dolphins, and even other sharks. Humans are not, per se, on their menus. However, they frequent the turbid waters of estuaries and bays, and often attack people inadvertently or out of curiosity.
I think the word "often" is not meant to mean that this is frequent...it means that the reason for the rare attacks are most "often" due to these factors.
The OP basically asked what to do if you see a shark in the water, or how not to attract a shark. Basically nothing...99.9% of the time, they will do NOTHING except swim away. There are VERY FEW shark attacks worldwide and many many many are likely correlated with fishing/chumming/carrying bait or being around these activities. Don't swim off a fishing pier, for example. Even local attacks in Texas were exactly that, people walking in shallow water with the fish they caught tied to their waist. This behavior is easy to avoid.
There was a shark attack on a young girl in the Bahamas, where she was KNEELING in water and it bit her on the hip...right near where a guy was (ILLEGALLY) spearfishing. Even that young girl got back in the water swimming around sharks. Pound for pound, IMO and in those tanks...black tips and white tips and even browns were far more skittish than those sand tigers.
There is no doubt whatsoever that bull sharks could eat you. NO DOUBT, NO ARGUMENT. They are top predators in the ocean and frankly deserve our respect when we enter their turf. Believe me, we would NEVER go near the water if they attacked humans all the time.
So yes, I do not think about being attacked by a shark when I go diving or swimming yet they are out there. In fact, they have probably been REAL close. And nothing. The sharks that bit the snot out of me were 6' baby bamboo sharks....because my hand was covered in squid scent. Most shark attacks...not all but most...can be correlated to several things. Several HUMAN activities that would so clearly lead to possible trouble and nothing out of the ordinary for sharks. Surfing in feeding areas when you look exactly like a big fat seal. And believe me too, if they intended to kill you, people would not make it to shore when that happens yet many do.
They are animals with instincts, not the emotions that PEOPLE have forced on them as brutal killers who don't like people.
This is an argument that comes down to personal opinions, so no worries, there is nothing personal
. I do not fear sharks in general. I also would not do stupid things on their turf, frankly. But in general you should be far more afraid of being attacked by a pit bull, struck by lightening or a myriad of other highly unlikely things. Does that mean I may be attacked by a shark at some point, even without doing anything to "attract" it? Sure...but I'm hardly going to worry about it or tell people to worry.
As for the sharks in that tank, yes, they were fed regularly. For an aquarium to say anything different is asinine. They were also never fed with divers in the water in that tank, so they have no reason to associate divers with food. This is NOT true of many open water diving establishments. You can go to the Oklahoma aquarium site which keeps bulls and lemons on display...with divers in the tank. They have been tremendously successful.
So to the OP...if you see a shark...don't pester it, don't panic, stay calm, watch. They will quite likely just pass you by. Be amazed at one of the most ancient and most successful animals on the planet. Hope to goodness that your grandchildren will get to see them too, because they are harvested at an alarming rate and killed horrifically (IMO)...or outright killed due to misconception and fear. Like wolves, they are critical parts of the ecosystem in which the live, and should be respected, IMO
We will be in trouble without them.
