Chapter 25.3, Problem 1HYEW

Most sharks avoid humans, but large sharks of some species can be dangerous to swimmers and divers. However, shark attacks on people are rare. In the United States, dog attacks kill 30 times more people than sharks do. A U.S. resident is 75 times more likely to die from a lightning strike than from a shark attack, and a beachgoer is far more likely to drown than to be bitten by a shark. Nonetheless, unprovoked shark attacks do occur. During 2014, for example, there were 72 documented attacks in the world, 3 of them fatal. About 65% of attacks were on people who were surfing. To reduce the (already very small) risk of a shark attack, experts recommend several precautions. For example, stay in a group while in the water, because most shark attacks are on lone individuals. Stay out of the water at night, dawn, or dusk, when sharks are most active. Refrain from entering the water when bleeding from an open wound, because sharks can detect blood in the water. And avoid areas that are being actively fished, because sharks are attracted to baitfish.

How Often Sharks Attack People?