Great White sharks

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Shark Attacks Prevention and safety

There are three kinds of attack:
1 Hit and run: usually a single strike in a surf area as a result of mistaken identity or territorial dominance. Injuries are minor.

_{2 Bump and bite: the animal is hungry and surveys the prey in decreasing circles, bumping it to get an initial flavour. After the bump comes the bite, if you're tasty enough. Neoprene probably wouldn't fit the bill. Repeat visits are common and injuries severe.}

_{3 Sudden strike: often by the Great White. Repeat visits are common and injuries severe.}

<sub>Avoiding an attack in shark waters:


Don't go alone - these animals tend to go for lone prey as their senses can tune in better on the target and they like easy meat. Sharks, like all predators, tend to go after solitary individuals, the weak and the infirm, and are less likely to attack people or fish in groups.</sub>

_{Furthermore, since great whites and tiger sharks tend to retreat after the first bite it's useful to have victim assistance nearby.}

_{Don't go in deep - while it is true that some attacks happen in shallow water, more often sharks travel around steep drop offs or near river mouths, as that is where their natural food congregates.}

_{Don't swim or surf in murky water - mistaken identity is generally the reason that people are attacked and in surf and/or murky water hungry critters can see you less well. Then again, you can't see them at all!}

_{Don't go for dawn/dusk/night swims - the favoured hunting time and poor vision time for you.}

_{Don't go in if there's blood - sharks can smell it many miles away so don't enter the water with open wounds, near where people are fishing/spear fishing, or near ocean garbage, and ladies should not go in during their monthly cycle.}

_{Don't wear jewellery - a shark's vision is not that great as they rely on vibrations or electrical signals in the water. However they do pick up on contrasting tones of dark and light very well which help them catch shiny fish.}

_{Highly contrasting wetsuits [e.g. black and white], swimsuits or jewellery may get part of you mistaken for a fish.}

_{Don't go bare - wear a wetsuit, nothing like the taste of neoprene to put you off your dinner!}

_{Don't panic - if you see a shark, leave the water as quietly and quickly as possible, or stay still and vertical [i.e. unlike a seal]}

_{Don't swim where others have been attacked - sharks do strike twice, unlike lightning.}

_{The recreational groups most attacked are surfers, with bathers second. Surfers splash a lot in surf conditions which making it easier for sharks to mistake their identity. Surfers also spend the greatest proportion of time in the water. Since 1980 over 300 surfers worldwide have been mauled by sharks.}

_{If you're being circled or otherwise hassled by a shark:}

_{Swimmers and surfers - if the shark is circling you it may be just curious and checking its territory but if it continues circling and seems hungry try to look the opposite of its regular entreé - a seal. In other words don't splash and get/stay vertical.}

_{Another preventative measure is to join hands with another person, making your combined profile much bigger than the shark will wish to attack. Japanese pearl divers used to take off their loincloth and trail it in the water, increasing the apparent size of the swimmer.}

_{If you're attacked:}

_{Swimmers and surfers - look around the surface and below for a shadow, punch and kick at the animal's nose and eyes if a repeat attack occurs*. Shout for help and if you think surf savvy bathers or lifeguard are present, the sign that you are in trouble is one arm raised high - do not wave with one arm, you may just get greeted back.}

_{If you need to wave use both arms or try the international divers shark sign of finger tips together - like a dorsal fin.}

_{Get out of the water as fast as possible but without panicked splashing; swim smoothly and you will go faster.}

_{Your flippers will work best and attract fewer predatory fish if they don't splash, so learn how to use them properly.}

_{*Yes really! Some surfers at a competition in Florida 2001 were attacked repeatedly by several sharks. They literally punched and kicked the menacing fish away from their boards because they wanted to get on with the competition. Some lacerations resulted but all the surfers lived to tell the tale.}

_{A British surfer was attacked by a Great White in South Africa in 2005. It grabbed his leg and dragged him along, however he punched and kicked the beast and lived to tell the tale on national television!}

_{Give a helping hand to a shark attack:}

_{If you see someone under attack, go to help them. It's unknown for a shark to go for the help, they like to focus.}

_{Scuba divers - If you have weapons, use them. If not, try to hit the shark's eyes or nose with anything - your camera, a rock or your fist.}

_{Look Great Whites in the eye. Really! They prefer to attack things that are not looking at them!}

_{These animals like to attack from the side or below so you could find cover protected by rocks.}

_{If you see the shark going around in ever decreasing circles, and even brushing you, expect an attack. If it then heads for you, twitching and jerking - unlike the usual smooth glide - make yourself into a small ball. When the big fish is closer, suddenly snap into a maximum size starfish shape. This apparently confuses the fish's primitive visual apparatus.}

_{If you have a dive buddy - which you should have- holding him/her gives the beast the impression that you are bigger than it.}

_{Remain calm and remember a panicked resurface could give you the bends and kill you.}

_{The most reported attacks:}

_{1. The USA has the highest incidence of shark incidents in the world but one of the reasons for this is the large amount of recreational marine activity that goes on in the region.}

_{Florida is worst affected with around 60% of all cases in the country; the entire east coast has a growing problem with aggressive sharks. California follows at around 15%.}

_{2. Africa}

_{3. Central and South America}

_{4. Australia and the Pacific Islands}