Blame it on Jaws
People are terrified of sharks - blame it on Jaws, blame it on myth. The truth is you have a better chance to be struck by lightning than be bitten by a shark.
In South Africa, shark attacks are actually rare incidents. According to the Natal Sharks Board there is an average of only four incidents a year. Compare this to the estimated 20 to 30 million sharks killed by humans worldwide every year through commercial and sport fishing, and you wonder who should be afraid of who.
In the past most shark attacks took place in the warm waters of KwaZulu-Natal but the shark nets have greatly reduced the risk of injury or death. Since 1990 only ten people have been attacked of which only one was fatal in KZN.
However, your risk of being attacked in the Eastern and Western Cape has increased remarkably. In the past ten years sharks have attacked 61 people of which six were fatal in the Western Cape.
The Natal Sharks Board says 10% of the attacks in Cape waters have been by raggedtooth sharks. These attacks mostly take place in shallow murky waters, where it is believed the shark and human literally ‘bump’ into each other.
Natal Sharks Board maintains that most of the recent victims in Cape waters have been surfers and body board riders. Some speculate this is because the sharks mistake them for seals. The other obvious reason is because they spend long hours in the sea and wave-riders venture further offshore than swimmers.
Divers spearing fish have proved to be another high-risk group. The blood of the wounded fish often attract sharks.
The worst year on record for shark attack in SA was 1998, when 15 incidents were reported in Cape waters alone. One attack was fatal and a further five resulted in serious injuries. The Natal Sharks Board says a possible reason might be the white shark viewing and diving cages. “Through the sharks’ repeated exposure to bait and chum used as attractants, they learned to associate the boats and SCUBA divers with possible food.”
When sharks do attack humans it's usually not to eat them but a manner of investigation or to protect their territory. This also explains why sharks rarely take more than one or two bites from their human prey.
Here are some tips to further lessen the unlikely possibility of being attacked by a shark.
Choose to swim at netted beaches whenever possible.
Avoid swimming when bleeding. (Women should also avoid swimming during their menstrual cycle.) Sharks can smell and taste blood miles away and are excellent at tracing it back to its source.
For the same reasons you should not urinate in the water.
Don’t swim at dawn, dusk or in the evening when sharks are most active. They are then also better able to find you and you are less likely to spot them.
Avoid swimming in the vicinity of flooding rivers. Debris and dead animals coming down in rivers often attract shark.
Don’t go into water containing sewage because it attracts bait fishes, which in turn attract sharks.
Don’t swim alone, stay in groups. Sharks are more likely to 'investigate' lone individuals.
Be cautious when spear fishing. Try to avoid murky waters where your visibility is impaired.
Shiny jewelry is also said to attract sharks because the reflected light looks like shining fish scales.
Be alert when swimming near sandbars or steep drop-offs, these are a shark’s favourite hangouts.
If you're at risk of shark attacks, consider getting the Shark Attack Pack (available from SA Lifesaving). This First Aid kit is aimed at restricting blood loss and providing intravenous fluid replacement. (The key to treatment lies in controlling bleeding and replacing intravenous fluids as quickly as possible.)
Statistics show shark attacks are not a real threat to humans, especially if you're female (since it's mostly men who take part in 'risky' behaviour at sea). In SA where hijacking, abuse and murder statistics are sky high, shark attacks should not even feature on your ‘things to worry about’ list.
Image: Chris Fallows, Die Burger
- Women24