We all love going on holiday, the heat, the food, the ocean. However, thousands of people are actually afraid of the ocean. For example, my younger sister is deathly afraid of the ocean, because of the darkness and the mystery of what actually lurks within it. Including the infamous shark!
There is believed to be a minimum of one billion sharks in all of the oceans across the world, ranging from the infamous Great White Shark, to the lesser known species of the Megamouth Shark (sounds like some people I know!). While some are entirely harmless to the human species, like the basking shark, others do have a history of attacking humans, sometimes even fatally. It is because of these deadly, yet rare, attacks that so many are skeptical of these often beautiful creatures.
On July 1, 1916, Charles Vansant was out for a swim in Beach Haven, New Jersey. Shortly after, a huge chunk of flesh was ripped off of his leg, and he unfortunately bled out soon after. This was the first ever recorded shark attack on a human, and at first they weren’t even sure whether the apparent beast was a shark, as there was no definite evidence to even suggest that a shark could act in such an aggressive manner towards people. It was from this moment onward that more and more people fell victim to the shark’s powerful jaws.
However, the reasons for these attacks is still a topic that is highly debated. For example, one of the many theories that scientists have come up with is the term “rogues”. This is used to describe a shark that has strayed from it’s natural diet of fish, and essentially grown to crave human flesh. Gory, I know. While these sharks are apparently rare, it does send a chill down my spine knowing that there could be sharks out there who rely solely on people to keep them alive.
While there are multiple theories on the cause of a shark’s aggressive behaviour, one of the most commonly accepted ones is due to the shark’s ability to see in murky water. A staple part of many species of sharks’ diet is seal, which float vertically at the water’s surface. Like humans do. So it could be said that sharks could mistake the silhouette of a person for a seal, making it a seemingly innocent mistake, on the shark’s behalf. Not only this, but before a shark eats something unusual, or something it is uncertain of, it will take what is known as an exploratory bite, where it will take a bite of something and swim away, as it tries to decipher whether it is a threat, food, or just something in the way. Which is usually why shark attack victims only suffer with one bite. The only difference is the position of the bite, as if it bites through an artery it could possibly be fatal.
Either inquisitive or murderous, sharks are a species that many people fear. While, in my opinion, humans are technically at fault for invading their home, in their territory, as we are doing with an endless list of other animals. So, you decide: are these animals cold-blooded murderers from birth, or are they simply misunderstood creatures, victims of a booming human population, who tread further and further into lands in which they do not belong? Tell me what you thing in the comments! Toodles!
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