Shark Safety Australia
When swimming at the beach there can always be a fear in the back of your mind about sharks and the potential of a shark attack. Such media and movies like Jaws obviously don’t help this paranoia, but truth be told the chances of shark attack are actually extremely low.
In fact you have more chance of getting struck by lightening than you do of getting attacked by a shark! It’s true! The fact is that sharks attack humans generally by accident, meaning they will mistake a person for a seal or another creature. They will then go about biting the person a couple of times, only to realise it isn’t what they were after and swim away. Unfortunately though due to the power of shark’s teeth, one or two bites is usually all it takes in order to cause serious injuries or even death.
There is no really guaranteed way to prevent a shark attack due to the fact that if a shark wants to attack you, you generally won’t know about it until it’s too late.
- Never go swimming with open wounds or wounds that you think will bleed in the water as sharks have a very strong sense for blood and can sense it from several kilometres away.
- You can also try and swim at beaches that have protective netting up to protect the beach from sharks.
- Never go swimming directly at dawn or dusk as these are generally a sharks preferred feeding time, and never go swimming near large numbers of seals as these are also a sharks favourite food.
Should the worst happen and you find yourself being attacked by a shark, the best possible thing to do is remain calm and in control of the situation. Attempt to hit the shark on its snout or aim for the eyes as these are the shark’s most vulnerable spots. Hopefully the shark will soon give up after a few hits and be on its way.
It’s a situation you should hope to never find yourself in but hopefully you will be prepared slightly should it ever occur.
