Encountering an aggressive shark within the ocean is a nightmare state of affairs. Fortunately, most sharks won’t assault people in most conditions.
“People are a far higher hazard to sharks than sharks are to people,” says Bear Grylls in his ebook Easy methods to Keep Alive. “We kill greater than 100 million a yr. The best way we deal with them is a tragedy—they’re an essential a part of our ecosystem, and we ought to be attempting to guard them. Most sharks are usually not aggressive to people, so your possibilities of being attacked by one while you’re swimming from the seashore are fairly low.”
Nonetheless, shark assaults do occur, and after they do, they are often lethal.
“[Sharks] can simply rip by means of flesh and bone, and there are numerous recorded cases of sharks tearing a human physique in two on the first strike,” says Bear.
Wish to be ready within the uncommon occasion this occurs to you? Right here’s what Bear says it’s best to do in case you’re being stalked by a shark.
Do Not Panic
If sharks are swimming slowly close to you, however not approaching you, they might simply be curious. Nonetheless, if they’re circling, pointing their pectoral fins down, pointing their heads upward, arching their backs, zigzagging, and/or charging, these are all indicators of aggression that you need to be expecting.
“Don’t scream, flail, or panic,” says Bear. “Simpler stated than accomplished, however terror is music to the ears of even a much less harmful shark.”
A panicking human that’s flailing and screaming could cause a shark’s predator intuition to kick in, and the shark could turn out to be extra more likely to assault. As an alternative, Bear says to point out confidence. If there’s a ship close by, swim in direction of it in a managed manner.
Go for Weak Factors
When sharks chew people, it’s usually a “check chew”—they usually chew and let go. Nonetheless, if it has you in its grip, go for susceptible factors like its gills and eyes and punch the shark as arduous as you’ll be able to. In case you have a knife, apply it to these identical areas.
“You’ll hear tales about folks attempting to strike them on the nostril, however this isn’t a
significantly weak spot, and it’s dangerously near the tooth,” says Bear.
Flip the Shark Upside-Down
Lastly, Bear says that some sharks, together with tigers and hammerheads, will enter a state of paralysis (referred to as “tonic immobility”) in case you flip them upside-down.
“[This is] not simply accomplished, however price a attempt if it has a maintain of you,” he says.
Aggression towards sharks is a foul thought; they’re not out to get you. Nonetheless, in case your life is on the road, the following tips could assist you to survive a horrible state of affairs. Make sure to learn indicators on the seashore, take heed to lifeguards, and be diligent when swimming in areas identified for having sharks.
