Shark Week on Discovery Channel is this week. Check out these amazing (and scary) stories of shark attacks, close calls and what might be swimming near you.
They fascinate and they instill blood-chilling terror. These amazing, prehistoric creatures are evolutionary machines, predatory rulers of the sea — yet they’re tragically vulnerable to man.
We swim knowing, in the back of our minds, that slim chance that sharks are hunting nearby. At least 40 people have died from attacks in the past five years. Those who witness the encounters will never forget.
Just how common are shark attacks? And if you really love sharks, how can you go ALL-OUT during Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” on July 28-Aug. 4?
WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES OF A SHARK ATTACK?
We crunched the numbers — 2,195 incidents since 1990. Guess which beaches have the most attacks?
Also:
- AUDIO: Listen to a witness describe a deadly shark attack. WARNING: This may be disturbing for some readers. “I saw a gigantic splash and a lot of thrashing, I thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, did he just get hit by a shark?’”
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VIDEO: Incredible (and scary) video shows a shark circling a swimmer in Panama City Beach, Florida.
- VIDEO: This surprised fisherman caught a 10-foot great white off a pier.
I CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF SHARKS!
So you can’t exactly watch Discovery Channel at work.
Next best thing: a live shark cam.
You can literally watch sharks swim around this aquarium (with other fish that seem a little on edge) all day long, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific.
And when the boss pops in your office, just hide your screen!
More fun things:
- PLEASE, DO FEED THE SHARKS: If you’ve ever wanted to watch a shark feeding frenzy without being on the dinner menu, this Florida restaurant is your go-to spot.
- UH, NO THANKS: North Carolina fishermen share their best shark tales. “When they are coming straight in your direction, picking up speed and they jump straight towards your boat — it’s an amazing sight.”
- SPEAKING OF THE CAROLINAS… They have some of the best beaches on the East Coast. And some of the scariest sharks. See these photos before your next Myrtle Beach vacation.
- STUDYING SHARKS: Drone video captures two great whites interacting
- MEGALODON: Diving for prehistoric shark teeth.
CLOSE CALLS!
Better them than us…
- VIDEO: A great white leaps in front of a fishing boat.
- VIDEO: Paddleboarders encounter a mako shark near Destin, Florida.
- VIDEO: Beachgoers get unexpectedly up close and personal with a shark. “That was crazy. You could hear everybody kind of gasp when it happened.”
WHICH SHARKS ATTACK?
Cue the “Jaws” music… Among all the unprovoked attacks where we know which species it was, great whites lead the pack:
But shark attacks remain exceedingly rare, and there are ways you can reduce your risks even more.
Researchers say most incidents don’t happen because sharks are preying on humans. Rather, they believe the sharks may bite because they’re confused, threatened or just curious.
To avoid an accident, be vigilant.
- Avoid swimming near dead animals, the smell of which can attract sharks from great distances.
- Avoid swimming near piers. Bait = sharks.
- Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk, when sharks are feeding.
- Swim in groups, and don’t splash around.
- Avoid “bait balls” — schools of fish that form and which could signal the presence of a nearby predator.
- If seals or sea lions attempt to crawl up on a surfboard or raft, they’re not trying to be friendly … they’re trying to avoid being eaten. Time to get out of the water.
Check out these shark sightings in Massachusetts:
- INTERACTIVE MAP: Here’s where great white sharks roam off Cape Cod