- Dangers of Swimming Away
- Expert Advice on Sharks
- Safety Measures Recommended
Most individuals will flee in horror upon spotting a shark in the open ocean.
However, a professional diver has disclosed the most challenging course of action: swimming away from these apex predators.
Kayleigh Nicole Grant, the proprietor of an ocean safari company, demonstrated that it is advisable to consistently maintain one’s position, confront the shark, and tactfully retreat it if the formidable creature continues to approach.
She imparted the advice in a video demonstrating how a woman swam away from a roughly half-ton adult tiger shark engrossed in her flippers. Then, unexpectedly, how straightforward it is to confront a shark and redirect it subtly.
“Due to their prey drive, sharks will likely continue to pursue you if you panic and swim away from them,” Grant said in her clip.
“Stand your ground, maintain eye contact, and if necessary, push them away,” advised Grant, who goes by the handle @mermaid.kayleigh on TikTok, in the video.
Shark Attack Statistics and Viral Video Incident
According to trackingsharks.com, as of November 18th of last month, 76 publicly reported and verified shark attack bites have occurred in 2023. This figure is approximately 20 edges higher than the cumulative count of shark attacks 2022.
It should be noted, however, that while ten of the 76 assaults this year were fatal, nine of them were allegedly provoked, according to the website.
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Disseminating the video on both TikTok and Instagram sparked viral interest as she deftly redirected the shark using a deft yet forceful push of the animal’s snout.
One commenter made the jest, “Sharks are more respectful than many humans today,” after observing the lethal apex predator swim away composedly.
Although Grant has amassed an enormous following on TikTok alone, with two million and counting followers due to her enthralling underwater videos, her advice regarding sharks reflects a consensus among scientists who research these creatures outside of social media.
“Refrain from excessive splashing, especially in a single location,” states a fact document published in collaboration with the University of Florida in Gainesville and the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Shark Hearing and Safety Tips
Marine biology experts at the museum advise, “Sharks can hear the low-frequency sounds produced by splashing and may investigate to determine whether a fish or prey is in distress.”
According to Australian University of Auckland biologist Carolin Nieder, the acoustic-lateral system, which is the shark’s “inner ear,” can detect sounds between 10Hz and 800Hz frequencies from miles away in the water.
This capability aids a shark in scanning a vast expanse of water for vulnerable prey, so swimmers should exercise caution when engaging in boisterous and entertaining activities in the ocean.
Assume that a shark does decide to observe your day at the shore.
Scientists affiliated with Shark Lab, administered by California State University at Long Beach, have proposed additional recommendations that mirror the ones Grant provided on TikTok.
Constantly confronting the shark will allow it to recognise you, according to the scientists at Shark Lab.
They advised, “By maintaining eye contact with the shark, it will perceive your attention and ultimately retreat.”
Constant Vigilance: Watch Your Back
Shark Lab’s most crucial point augments grant’s advice: constantly monitor your back.
A shark that you have diverted may decide to swim up behind you for a closer inspection, according to the lab’s beach safety page, which describes this as “typical behaviour of many predators.”
“This does not indicate that the shark is following you,” Shark Lab stated.
“They are simply gaining a closer look at something that may be harmful to them.”
Dave Bader, chief operations and education officer of the Marine Mammal Care Centre in San Pedro, California, asserts that eighty per cent of sharks are under six feet or less than three feet.
Not all of them are the lethal apex predators depicted in the Jaws films or Shark Week. Many are terrified of the same things that lurk in the water as we are.
