Sharks have personal space. With news of serious shark attacks dominating the news cycle as of late, it makes it difficult to remember that 1) shark attacks are extremely rare, and 2) most sharks that people encounter at public beaches are harmless to humans, so long as they don’t feel threatened.
Often when we enjoy the ocean, we forget that it’s not a playground but a complex ecosystem teeming with wildlife. Understanding that sharks are out there, but not all are inherently seeking to devour every human in sight is a good place to start when putting the fear associated with sharks in perspective.
When we spoke to Dr. Chris Lowe, shark expert and director of California State University, Long Beach’s Shark Lab, we started by asking why beaches close when sharks over eight feet are spotted. He said that sharks over that size feed on seals and other larger animals – and there is a slim chance there could be some danger to beachgoers. But most sharks we’ll see while swimming or surfing, though, are typically smaller and feed strictly on smaller fish. As such, they are no danger to people unless they feel they are in danger. Bottom line, according to Dr. Lowe, if you see a smaller shark in the ocean be sure to stay calm, keep your eyes on it, and if it exhibits behaviors of feeling threatened simply back away.
