Shark attack
A shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year, around 80 unprovoked attacks are reported worldwide. Despite their rarity, many people fear shark attacks after occasional serial attacks, such as the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, and horror fiction and films such as the Jaws series. Out of more than 500 shark species, only three of them are responsible for a double-digit number of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger, and bull. The oceanic whitetip has probably killed many more shipwreck and plane crash survivors, but these are not recorded in the statistics. Humans are not part of a shark's normal diet. Sharks usually feed on small fish and invertebrates, seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals. A shark attack will usually occur if the shark feels curious or confused.
| Shark attack | |
|---|---|
| A sign warning about the presence of sharks off Salt Rock, South Africa | |
| Symptoms | Bleeding, Lacerations from the sharkâs teeth, |
| Complications | Amputation, blood loss, sepsis, |
| Causes | Sharks |
| Risk factors | Surfing, storms, being stuck adrift, swimming at night, |
| Prevention | Shark barrier, Shark nets, Drum lines, range of other methods |
| Frequency | Rare |