How To Stay Shark Safe
When you're paddling around in the ocean, sharks may enter your mind more often than you'd like to admit. While these creatures are often perceived as mindless man eaters on the hunt for human blood, that couldn't be further from the truth. Sharks are intelligent and curious animals who are likely just as intimidated by you as you are of them. If you ever run into one in the ocean, the success of your interaction largely depends on you — it's up to you to convey that you are a predator, not prey. Here are our top tips on how to keep both you and sharks safe.
Don’t swim at certain times of day, sharks are nocturnal & crepuscular (dawn and dusk) predators. Swimming at these times of day, during low light and poor visibility greatly increase your risk of a shark bite.
Avoid swimming near obvious signs of prey species for sharks. Large bait balls of fish, seal colonies & even washed up whales/dolphins are all signs not to enter the water.
Avoid swimming in or near estuaries, run off from the land can attract certain shark species into these areas. Estuaries are also bodies of water where visibility is extremely low, making it harder for a shark to tell between you and a prey item.
Avoid swimming in/around ports or harbours in areas where sharks are known to be present. Fishers often will throw discards/innards of their catch into the water in these areas, acting as a dinner bell for any nearby sharks.
When choosing to swim in the sea, it is always best practice to swim with someone else. NEVER swim alone! In the event of a shark bite, having an additional person with you or nearby, allows them to call for help if there is an accident.
In the event you do encounter a shark in the water, follow these top tips to avoid being bitten.
Maintain eye contact with the shark, keep it within your field of vision at all times. Many bites occur when the swimmer is unaware of the presence of the shark in the near vicinity.
Avoid erratic motions in the water. Sharks are attracted to splashes/loud noises as this mimics the motions of an injured prey species and will likely come closer to investigate. Remain calm and composed.
If you have an item with you, position this between yourself and the shark. This may be a camera, GoPro pole, spear gun, or even your fins. These are all items that can be used as a barrier between you and the shark if necessary.
In the event a shark does choose to be aggressive and attempts to bite (last resort)
Defend yourself by targeting the sensitive areas of the shark, this are the gills, eyes and snout. Punching hard underwater is difficult, due to water tension, as a result, a light punch on the nose is likely not going to do enough to deter the shark. Gouging in the eyes and gill area is incredibly painful for a shark, these are areas you should be targeting to defend yourself.
Exit the water immediately!
If you have been bitten, seek immediate medical attention, and apply a tourniquet to the affected area (as tight as possible). If a medical tourniquet is not present, a ripped up towel, which is then rolled can act in the place of a tourniquet until adequate medical equipment arrives.
Words by shark biologist Kristian Parton