Out of 300 shark species, only 12 attack people. Sharks are not looking to attack humans. They are looking for smaller fish and invertebrates. Since humans are not part of the sharks' normal diet, why do they attack?
Larger sharks feed on larger animals, like sea lions, seals, and marine mammals. These sharks become confused when they see a human splashing in the water, and that is when an attack happens.
The fact is, sharks have more to fear from humans than humans do from sharks. Every year an estimated 100 million sharks are hunted for their meat, internal organs, and skin. This has led to a problem.
Females from many shark species only reproduce once every two to three years. These species are unable to replenish their numbers as fast as they are being diminished. This is not good.
Sharks play an important role keeping our planet in balance. When the number of sharks decrease, their prey (like stingrays) increase in number causing a ripple effect that spreads throughout the whole ecosystem.
Do humans need to be careful of sharks? Absolutely. Are sharks useless eating machines as some movies portray? Absolutely not.
Research Sources:
1. "Do Sharks Eat People?". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: National Ocean Service. Web. 05 Aug. 2018 <https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sharkseat.html>.
2. "Shark Finning: Sharks Turned Prey". Smithsonian: Ocean Find Your Blue. Web. 06 Aug 2018. <https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/sharks-rays/shark-finning-sharks-turned-prey>.
3. "How Do Sharks Mate?" by Nick Whitney. Anderson Cabot Center For Ocean Life: New England Aquarium. Web. 06 Aug. 2018. <http://www.andersoncabotcenterforoceanlife.org/blog/how-do-sharks-mate/>.
Image Credits:
1. Three Sharks by PIRO4D is licensed under CCO Creative Commons.
2. Shark by Wildfaces is licensed under CCO Creative Commons.
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