The attacks of sharks on the man are rare and exceptional. The reasons leading to an attack are not all known or well defined; the lack of data makes that it is delicate to deduce some from the reliable statistics. The behavior in natural environment of the Requin S is also badly known (and little studied) all this contributes so that there is no Systématique on the matter.

Classification of the attacks

One distinguishes two categories of attack:

• attacks caused,

• attacks not caused.

The difference is fundamental because good number of accidents with sharks are caused attacks and could be avoided by a better knowledge of the behavior of these animals and by the strict compliance with some rules of good sense.

Attacks caused

In this case of figure it is the behavior of the man who involves the attack of the shark, one can quote in particular:

• to fish a shark

• to fish in apnea of fish in the presence of sharks
• to badger a shark

Attacks not caused

It is about an attack whose reason is not ascribable directly with an act on behalf of the victim. Nevertheless certain factors can support a not caused attack.

Geographical distribution of the attacks of sharks in the world

This chart was established starting from the data of “Shark Attack File”, the register of the attacks of sharks maintained by the Natural history museum of Natural history of Florida. Only the not caused attacks having been listed of 1580 to 2004 appear in it.

The the United States and more particularly the Florida is one of the places where statistically there are the most attacks of sharks. This fact is to be put on the account of the big number of bathers and the proximity of the squales, which increases by as much the probability of a meeting, and thus the risk of an attack. There is also the fact that this area, like some others, are the subject of a monitoring and a particularly meticulous follow-up, contrary to others where the attacks are not indexed.

Some figures

The Australia shows interesting characteristics as regards not caused attacks of sharks:

• the three most dangerous species of sharks are present,

• a significant proportion of the population lives in edge of the coasts,
• much of nautical activities and of fishing are practiced regularly.

The risk to be killed in Australia (over the period 1980-1990) by a not caused attack of shark compared with:

• a fatal accident of diving was 10 times less,

• a drowning was 300 times less,
• a fatal accident of circulation was 3000 times less.

(source: Australian Museum)

An attack of shark is not always fatal. On average and in the world over the period 1990 - 2004,11% of the not caused attacks were mortals.

(source: Natural history museum of Natural history of Florida)

For much of these attacks death is ascribable in majority with the too long time of intervention of the helps taking into account the place where the attack occurs and of the nature of the wounds (Hémorragie).

These figures are certainly undervalued insofar as certain countries do not maintain statistics highly reliable and that the attacks in medium Pélagique at the time of maritime catastrophes only are documented very little.

The evolution of the figures of attack year after year hardly has significance. On the one hand because the number of attacks brought back to the population living near the east coasts negligible and that on the other hand a very great number of factors will influence the presence or not of sharks in a given geographical area. For example change of the marine currents related to the phenomenon El Niño.

Factors being able to support a meeting with a shark

Before an attack can occur, it is necessary that there is a meeting between a man and a shark. However, as the pelagic fish resources become exhausted in the oceans, the sharks tend to approach the coasts to find food. In same time the nautical activities thus develop and are more accessible the number of people which can potentially be in contact with sharks - even if the world population of the latter tends to decrease - increases. However, certain places show characteristics which increase the probability of a meeting with a shark, one can quote in particular:

• the external reefs (falling) is one of the favorite places of hunting of the sharks, it is also here that the waves are formed which interest the surfers,

• water turpides which one finds in the ports, estuaries, near the agro-alimentary complexes which reject their waste in the sea.

In addition, the sharks driving out, for a good part, rather the night better is worth to avoid bathing whereas the sun is laid down or not raised yet. However the “peak” of the attacks according to certain studies is rather located enters 14 and 18:00

A meeting does not imply an attack: many bathers côtoyé sharks without realizing some and another consequence.

Factors being able to incite a shark to attack

The factor certainly most favourable to support the attacks of sharks consists in feeding directly or indirectly in quantity and regularly on the same zone of the sharks.

Indeed, the consequences which result from this make that sharks:

• is sédentarisent,

• lose their inhibition towards the man,
• are accustomed to receive food,
• are likely to be in food frenzy.

At the time of the attacks in Florida in 2001, the divings aiming at nourishing the sharks ( shark feeding ) were blamed, however these divings were carried out with broad with several kilometers of the coasts, on the other hand it seems proven that the cause of the presence of the sharks near the beaches was rather due to the fishermen amateurs who operated of number since bridge.

The rejection of waste to water by boats is also a factor contributing to sédentariser of the sharks. A correlation between the number of boats and the number of sharks in a given zone was shown.

The bright colors could be a factor of attraction of the sharks, just as of the brilliant objects. The ends of the fingers after a certain period under water tend to resemble fish flesh and can arouse the interest of a shark or other fish.

Type of attacks

The breaching

This very spectacular attack is especially employed by the large white shark. It consists in leaping out of water in order to seize its prey close to surface by surprise. The large white applies especially this attack to the otaries, which are faster and nimbler than him, and which can thus flee if they locate it. This technique is very difficult to observe, and to photograph even more because it is fast and violent. The rare people who on the occasion to assist with one of these attacks defines it as one of the most incredible spectacles that nature offers to us.

Motivation of an attack

There are various assumptions. So some seem to be very probable like defense, others are the subject of much more prudence for lack of data and established facts. Also let us note that the species must be imperatively taken into account because the behavior can be very specific.

Defense

A driven back wild animal will defend itself, it does not have there exception with the sharks. Thus R.H. Johnson in his work “ Sharks off tropical and temperate seas ” concludes on a series from experiments undertaken with gray sharks that to block the upgrading capability of a shark so that to escape it is obliged to pass near the intruder causes the signs preliminary to an attack: the posture ( display in English). Certain unwise actions will lead a shark to the attack, cases of plungers and bathers “being amused” to draw the tail from a shark can testify some.

Territoriality

This concept is not yet well defined and only at some species like the gray Requin is present and the Requin at white points of reef. A violation of the vital Espace of the shark will involve a warning of this one in the form of a stroke very exaggerated and jerked as well as a notable lowering of the pectoral fins. If the violation of vital space does not disappear or is done more pressing, the probability of an attack becomes strong. One speaks about territoriality but should not be seen only the geographical aspect. A Requin with black points driving out in the presence of gray sharks can be also perceived like a violation of territoriality, just as a fisherman could be comparable with a competitor.

Food

This assumption which was largely allowed is put more and more at evil. Except can be the case of the Tiger shark which is called “the dustbin of the oceans”, the man is not a satisfactory food for large sharks as the white shark which need food very rich in grease. The attacks being generally of the slackened “bitten” type (attacks which can cause serious damage all the same) it is difficult to see a food motivation there there.

The misidentifying

This assumption seems to be in lose speed since knowledge on the sharks progresses, we know today that many sharks have an excellent vision. However, the similarity with a prey could encourage a shark to carry out an exploratory bite; however it seems that one cannot speak about misidentifying insofar as the technique of attack, generally, is not similar to that used with the usual preys: no case of attack of a man by an white shark in South Africa according to the technique of the jump ( breaching ) is known.

Curiosity

Although this assumption can seem not very credible first of all it is consolidated by many points:

• the food motivation seems to be a rather marginal reason

• experiments carried out with various objects and white sharks show that the sharks carry out a bite of exploration in order to analyze more in detail the objects, indeed in the absence of member of gripping it is the mouth which is useful for this purpose
• the majority of the “attacks” are of slackened “bitten” type and thus seem to be more exploratory than food

Food frenzy

It is not strictly speaking an attack, it is a state of excitation of sharks in group in the presence of a strong food stimulus which makes them likely to bite all that is in the vicinity (including other sharks), the bites are of the slackened “bitten” type. The plungers practitioner of the “shark feeding” are particularly exposed but also the fishermen in apnea.

What to make in the presence of a shark?

important Note : nothing could replace knowledge and the experiment, also please regard the few indications below as rules of good sense without more and guarantee.

How to react vis-a-vis a shark

1. not to flee.

2. To tighten towards the shark an object from 60 to 90 cm length. Caution: not to make use of it to strike or wound the shark. That would do nothing but excite it.
3. If one is two, to put back at back. If one is alone, to stick itself more close possible of a protection (bottom, a damping, the hull of the boat, etc).
4. To try to leave water while moving back slowly. To supervise the reactions of the shark and to pay attention to its legs, vulnerable to an attack by in lower part.
5. If it charges, howl under water, that will be able to surprise it sufficiently so that it hesitates and that will leave you, perhaps, time to regain a protected place.

To avoid

1. not to plunge in the zones where the sharks nourish themselves. Like turbid water or dirty near a discharge or mouth of a river.

2. not to plunge the night: it is the moment when the sharks are most active.
3. not to plunge when one has an open wound because that is likely to excite sharks.
4. not to carry objects scintillating or of clothing of too sharp color, which could be a factor of attraction.

Famous attacks

The cruiser WORN Indianapolis was run with broad at the time of the return of a secret mission during the Second world war, the delivery of the atomic bombs on the island of Tinian, on July 26th, 1945, by a Japanese submarine. The helps delayed several days and on the 900 survivors of the attack alone 316 survive. The reports/ratios mention that the sharks badgered the shipwrecked men harms and day during several days.

References

Books

• Sharks off tropical and temperate seas, R.H. Johnson, the editions of the Pacific, 1978

• Field guides to the Great White Shark, R. Aidan Martin, Reef Quest Center for Shark Research, 2003
• All the sharks of the world, Géry Van Grevelynghe, Alain Diringer, Bernard Séret, Delachaux and Niestlé, 1999

Web sites

• International Shark Attack Spins

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