Additionally, it would be cruel to eliminate a whole species simple because they're inconvenient for us. "There's all this talk about punching a shark in the nose. Stay calm. Move slowly toward the shore or a boat; choose whichever is closest. Sharks have surprisingly rough and sharp skin, unlike the smooth scales of other fish, so be aware of this. What Could You Do To Survive A Shark Attack? Although you may get a few small bites from fighting back, these tactics will increase your … To create this article, 234 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. They will attack and your chances of survival will be limited. Again, you've got to be careful -- large sharks can attack in very shallow depths.". In Australia, 6 of them were fatal. How to survive a shark attack. Remember not to make any sudden movements. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Adulting 101: The credit building course from wikiHow. Remember to breathe as you fight. Swimming early in the morning or late at night can be lovely, but it's also the time when a shark attack is most likely. If there’s a seawall or reef near, put your back against it so that you can keep the shark in front of you. How to survive a shark attack: What to do if you encounter the creature, and how likely it is in the first place. If you see fish continuously jumping out of the water, it probably means there is a predator around, which may be a shark. Sure, we could talk about the statistically infinitesimal chance that you’re going to get attacked by a shark (about 1 in 11.5 million), and that the vast majority of shark attacks are non-fatal, and that sharks don’t actually want to eat people, they just get confused sometimes. Tips for Surviving a Shark Attack. X. Of these attacks, 17 were in Australia and 23 were from the USA. With Charles Duhigg How To Listen on Apple Podcasts. What if I scream at the shark? That said, there are a number of steps you can take to increase your chances of survival during a (highly improbable) attack, according to Richard Peirce, a shark expert and former chairman of the UK-based Shark Trust charity. Peirce also says women who are menstruating should stay on the beach -- and that people who cut themselves while swimming should get out of the water. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Do not give up. Zero to 60: King of the … When sharks attack, get out of the water, fast! SURVIVE. You need adequate oxygen to effectively defend against an attack in order to make a quick getaway and retreat to safety. Absolutely. We are the ones invading their territory - doing that to any species, or even fellow humans, is always risky. But David did make it, and soon he learned that surviving the shark wasn’t the hardest part—it was what … Never play dead around a shark. Sharks usually hunt at drop-offs or near banks. It is erratic movement, such as swimming, that is a bad idea. Sharks are flexible and they can turn their head and easily attack. If you don't want to tangle with a shark, don't go where sharks hang out. "A shark has got no paws or hands, so if it wants to explore something, the only capability it's got to do that is to put it in its mouth," says Peirce. How would it help to stay still? Do not block the shark's path. If Your Arm is Attacked, Keep It Over Your Head. What is their greatest weak point: eyes, nose, or gills? Shark scales are very rough and can cut flesh quite easily. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The International Shark Attack File gives the following advice: Avoid being in the water from sunset to sunrise. Which means the sharks are still there. After a shark attack, then it's not safe, as there is likely a decent food source that attracted that shark, and probably more sharks, to the area. The shark won't notice the difference. Peirce recommends avoiding estuaries, particularly where there are bull sharks -- which, along with great whites and tiger sharks, are the most likely to attack humans. When it comes to shark attacks and shark incidents, the news out there is grim right now. This article has been viewed 1,183,472 times. If you have nothing around you, use your own body. Sharks live in water because it's the only way they can live; humans only go in there for fun. Are you carrying anything with you? If you are attacked while in a group, form a circle and defend yourselves from the circle. This isn't a bear, it's a shark. ! A shark fin is heading straight for you. Do you get back in the water if you're not attacked, after a shark attack has happened? The best way to defend yourself against a shark is to punch its nose. • If you're bleeding, including menstruating, stay on the beach. If you have a fishing spear, oar, or another hard object, don't hesitate to use it. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. "This is a moving object in the water and you're not staying still either, so what you don't want to do is end up effectively punching at the mouth or anywhere near it. Zero to 60: The Journey Not the Destination. "You must try and keep the animal in sight and very slowly and gently try and swim backwards and get into shallow water. Once free If you can put your back to something, like a coral reef, do so. Always be aware of the shark. Another suggestion is to attack its eyes or gills because these are the most painful spots for a shark. If a shark attacks, fight back. Normally, they are not trying to hurt you. A shark might take a bite and then decide that they … This is when sharks are most active and have a competitive sensory advantage. As the shark swims around you, keep your head on a swivel and try to maintain eye contact. A sharp object is a good way to inflict enough pain to scare away the shark. Shark Attack: Survival Guide. So you're being circled by a shark. The best thing to do is stay calm and hover in the water. If so, turn it into a weapon. The unfortunate reality of a shark attack is that if one does decide you … You can also kick it in the chest as it approaches you to throw it backwards. Start swimming to safety while keeping an eye out around you for the shark. ... you'll both have a better chance to survive if you ascend while pressed together, back to back. David was in the ocean in Hawaii when the unthinkable happened—a shark attacked him and bit off his leg. Check with the Locals. Of course, the best way to not get hurt by sharks is to avoid a shark attack in the first place. Before you jump in the sea, have a look around the horizon -- what do you see? Screaming at the shark will have absolutely no effect, except perhaps annoying and angering the shark. ", A good shot to the gills can also do the job: "The gills are very sensitive -- giving a shark a whack in the gills isn't a bad idea.". And that’s how you survive a shark attack. You're unlikely to run into the kind of shark that attacks humans unprovoked -- bull sharks, tiger sharks, and. Here are a few things to do, and not do, if a shark attacks you or is about to attack you. "That's why we often get exploratory bites which don't result in death and sometimes don't even result in serious injury. On second thoughts, you’d probably be safer swimming with the sharks. ", It doesn't matter the size of the fishing operation either. Instead, choose dark, plain colors. If you have a spear gun or pole, use it! [1] X Research source Sharks have several different attack methods. This will attract the shark, as it will be able to sense your movement. They won't be able to breathe properly if you damage them there. A shark approached surfer Mick Fanning at a tournament in South Africa on Sunday. If you have been bitten and if you are bleeding after the bite, try and keep that area out of the water. By Malia Wollan. To learn more about how to get in a defensive position to prepare for the attack, keep reading! By using our site, you agree to our. If you go swimming and splashing away, you're almost inviting the shark to come give you an exploratory or an attack bite.". There are over 500 species of sharks. How To Survive a Shark Attack How To! Highlighted by the fatal attack at Snapper in early September on a 46-year-old male surfer, there have been 51 shark attacks so far this year. Aim for the shark's eyes, gills, or snout. It attracts sharks. Stay as still as possible while waiting, as long as the shark is not actively attacking you; and get into the boat as quickly as possible, once the boat reaches you. Eye contact is neither aggressive nor non-aggressive in sharks. "Whether they're commercial or recreational fishermen, they're often discarding material -- fish they don't want, fish parts, gutting fish. Often a shark will mistake you for prey, leaving you with injuries after realising his mistake. Even if it is unlikely it will occur, you should always be alert in case it happens. Protect Yourself from Dogs While Walking. Stay out of shark infested waters. "If you're turning around and facing it the whole time while it circles you, it's not going to be half as comfortable as if it's able to sneak up from behind. Kashmira Gander @kashmiragander. Failing that, become the toughest kid on the block by standing up to the fierce creature with a signature move known to throw sharks off kilter. Cut Off Possible Attack Angles As mentioned, sharks like the “gotcha” approach and will often try to attack you from behind. The shark will simply attempt to swallow its catch. For one thing, sharks are the apex predators of the oceans - they help keep other marine life in healthy balance and regulate the oceans. Then you've only got one direction to look. If you are free swimming (no wet-suit or gloves) do not attempt to grab a shark fin or back, (grey areas) these spots can cut you or rub your skin off, causing you to bleed and most likely triggering a sharks blood lust. It's unlikely to happen but should you come face to face with a great white demon of the deep, you'll want to be prepared. Steadily, terrifyingly, the shark is closing in. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. "If I didn't want to be seen by a great white shark as a competitor -- and if it wasn't showing massive interest in me -- I would actually curl up so he shows even less interest in me.". Try instead to get away from the shark - but don't ever lose sight of the creature during an attack. References. If the cheetah pounces on … Another suggestion is to attack its eyes or gills because these are the most painful spots for a shark. Unfortunately, there isn’t one simple answer on how to survive a shark attack. Do not go swimming at dawn, dusk or at night because these are the times when sharks feed. After Jaws was released in 1979, white sharks (what people in the film referred to as great whites) took the stage as the most feared sharks, and for good reason. Aim for the head, specifically the eyes or the gills. I can’t imagine that nobody fought back in the other cases, so this is another area where the data isn’t definitive. Shark attack stats. If the shark manages to grab your arm as you intend to strike, use your other hand to punch the other side. What happens if I lose sight of the shark? If you have a fishing spear, oar, or another hard object, don't hesitate to use it. If the shark is waiting for a time to strike, however, try to wait it out. Will it do anything? Sharks rarely attack, but when they do, severe and sometimes fatal injuries commonly result. Doing the above may help to a degree, but Peirce says the likelihood of escaping an attack from a big shark without injury is slim. If you can, use a sharp or heavy object to hit the shark, such as a spear, rock, or even a camera, but if not, you can use your fists, elbows, knees, or feet. If … ", This is where it gets complicated. "An awful lot of attacks occur in river mouths, where there is silt and other material in suspension in the river -- people washing their clothes, people washing themselves," says Peirce, who has spent time in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, where Fanning's encounter occurred Sunday. Last Updated: August 23, 2020 "If a shark sees you as a competitor for its food source, that can be one reason it attacks you," he explains. First things first: Despite what happened to, Fanning, a world champion surfer, had a run-in with one on live TV during a surfing competition in South Africa. They mainly hunt seals and other large mammals, so humans floating on the surface of the ocean can easily be mistaken for food. And if you're sitting on a surfboard in the water all day, you're peeing all day through your wetsuit.". If a shark is clearly in attack mode, you need to make yourself as big as possible in the water, according to Peirce: "The bigger you are in the water, the more respect you'll get.". If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. You can fight, scream, beg, play dead. In other words: they won't care less. Do not thrash your arms or kick or splash while you swim. The combination of these two … Do not swim alone, no matter what the time is. There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. Sometimes they swim right up and charge, sometimes they circle for a while before lunging, and sometimes they sneak up from behind for a surprise attack. "A lot of shark attacks are cases of mistaken identity," Peirce says, "due to reduced visibility and identification ability on the behalf of the shark.". If a very large predator, say a great white shark or grizzly bear, attacks you in full predatory mode, then it makes no difference what you do. In fact, this is the normal way they eat. Do not play dead as an aggressive shark will go for you. Knowing how to respond can mean the difference between life and death. Never get on top of a shark. Do not swim away from shark at any situation. Look for a reef or rock on the bottom of the ocean. Then claw, kick, elbow, and generally endeavour to injure the eyes and gills. In open water, get back-to-back with another swimmer or diver so that you can see, and defend against, an attack from any direction. 1) DO NOT PLAY DEAD! Avoid splashing, kicking, or thrashing about in panic, as this may encourage the shark to attack. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. In Australia, 6 of them were fatal. How to Survive a Shark Attack. % of people told us that this article helped them. Advertisement. Try to wear dark clothes if you are going under water. It will feel threatened and may go on the offence. ", "If fisherman are catching fish or struggling with fish in the water, that's one of the prime attractors for a shark," he says. If a boat is nearby, call out calmly, but loudly, for them to come to you. If you are bleeding, avoid going in the water. The shark moves much faster than you. Do not turn your back on the shark as you move. Sharks can smell and taste even the … You are safer near cover and underwater with good sight then you are going up to the surface and losing sight of the creature. Across the entire world, there have been over 2,500 unprovoked shark attacks documented, and although they are often hit-and-run random attacks, it is important to learn what to do in case you ever find yourself in this situation. Can a shark strike a specific target more than once? So no, until the relevant authorities declare that it is safe, you do not get back in the water, even if you weren't attacked. Survive a Shark Attack. Warmer waters also brings more people to the beach and swimming in the ocean is the main attraction. Why don't we just get rid of all sharks so that we don't have to worry about attacks? If we want to explore something we pick it up and we touch it, we feel it, we put it to our nose. But if the shark seems to simply be passing through, Peirce's advice is to roll up into a ball. Highlighted by the fatal attack at Snapper in early September on a 46-year-old male surfer, there have been 51 shark attacks so far this year. Also, doing this prevents the bitten area from being stuck even more in the shark's mouth, as shark teeth are pointed inward to lock in their prey.. Body language is more important to a shark. Sharks have an extraordinary sense of smell and can detect a drop of blood in several hundred million parts of water, according to Peirce. If you truly want to survive a shark attack, instead of taking an adventure to an Australian beach you might be better off exploring the streets of Dudley. "If a white shark is in full attack mode, there's not much you're going to be able to do at that point," he says. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. They're effectively putting chum in the water and bringing around sharks.". A shark's gills are the equivalent to a humans lungs. Do not play dead. Sharks still hunt during the day. With the climate getting warmer, sharks are starting to head farther north due to warmer waters. Sharks tend to thrash prey around and to tear chunks out of their prey, so if the person bitten essentially "hugs" the shark (latching onto it), they sharply reduce the risk of having large quantities of skin or limbs altogether ripped off of their body. He, But while the encounter left Fanning understandably rattled, there's no need to feel a similar panic about your upcoming beach vacation: the odds of being attacked by a shark are. "Sharks are ambush predators," Peirce explains. Latch onto the muzzle of the shark with any free limbs to avoid being thrashed. Surviving the attack. When it comes to shark attacks and shark incidents, the news out there is grim right now. This article has been viewed 1,183,472 times. Gouging the eyes, hitting the gills, or shoving things in the mouth may help though, as it made the shark stop or leave about 2/3 of the time. If the shark grabs you with its mouth. 1 /1 How to survive a shark attack. Humans, apes, dogs and cats all have paws and hands. "Don't start splashing around -- you're just going to excite, incite and encourage the shark's interest," says Peirce. There are over 400 species of shark, and around a dozen are considered highly dangerous to humans - chiefly the great white, tiger shark and bull shark. Do not wear bright jewelry or watches. You're protected from behind, for example, and that enables you to keep the shark in sight in front of you and maybe swim to the top of the reef slowly to where your boat is.". “I don’t think you’re gonna make it,” a medic told the 25-year-old on the helicopter ride to the hospital. Do not take your eyes off the shark. Once you regain your composure, here’s what else Peirce says you can do: Stay facing the shark and maintain eye contact. Kick and punch outwards from the circle. Blood indicates the presence of something to eat and may attract sharks, says Peirce, "but what's often not realized is that urine has the exact same effect. This goes back to the first point: displacing the least amount of water possible -- ie no thrashing and splashing around -- gradually swim backwards away from the shark towards shore. Keep calmly swimming to shore or to anything near you that you could rest on, without being in the water, and then call for help. Share Link. If you stay calm, the shark may be uninterested. Do not be too scared of sharks. To divers, if you are getting followed by a shark, you should have a knife on you or a spike. If you find yourself in an aggressive encounter, give it hell: punch, kick and poke at sensitive spots -- but be careful where you aim. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all. We could say that by staying away from active fishing grounds, river mouths, and … If you see fishing boats, Peirce says "forget it. If you do not have a weapon, improvise. Why should I punch or hit the Sharks gills? If there was a shark attack a week ago or a day ago, do not go into the water, until the lifeguard tells you that it is okay to do so. If you spot a shark and it hasn’t spotted you, you can still swim away quickly and quietly without splashing water and get to safety. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6f\/Survive-a-Shark-Attack-Step-2.jpeg\/v4-460px-Survive-a-Shark-Attack-Step-2.jpeg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6f\/Survive-a-Shark-Attack-Step-2.jpeg\/aid42848-v4-728px-Survive-a-Shark-Attack-Step-2.jpeg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"