Sharm El Shark....

Come Tuesday, I am off to Sharm El Sheikh. Sharks or no sharks, it doesn't make me 'afraid' or 'weary' about going. The only thing that makes me weary is the fact that we may not be able to get to the airport due to the snow, or that the flight might be delayed for hours! I did book the holiday to be able to get in the water and see all the nice little tropical fishies and do a bit of snorkelling, but due to all the shark attacks recently, that might not happen too often. When I get the chance however, I will be in the water! So, lets give a little insight into sharks...

Sharks are the apex predators in the marine world, and though they are viewed as oppressing animals, they are actually the oppressed. Despite being quite intelligent animals, they are hunted by us humans in many countries for their meat and for shark fin soup, for which we kill millions per year. Their payback is by attacking how many of us each year? 60-70 shark attacks on humans annually, of which only a few result in death. If you ask me, that is quite reasonable compared to what we do to them! Its like winning the lottery....you probably have more chance of being shot, or be fatally hit on the head by a coconut falling from a palm tree, and will always end up saying "It will never happen to me."

Sharks have extremely keen olfactory senses allowing them to detect up to one part per million of blood in the water. Using their Ampullae of Lorenzini (sensory pores in their head) and lateral lines, they can detect movement and electromagnetic fields from possible prey from from miles away! However, they are usually deep water hunters as said, not a particular threat to humans, unless you look like a nice juicy seal at the surface. Those thought to be doing the damage in Sharm El Sheikh are white tip sharks, usually only found in deep water, but have recently been driven into the shallow reefs....sucks for the poor critters at their peril! Reef sharks are usually pretty 'friendly.'

Humans are not part of every sharks diet. The bull shark and tiger shark may be a bit more inclined to munch on us, but generally we do not 'contain' enough fat to provide enough energy for these magnificent creatures. What made us frightened of them where films such as Jaws... come on, are there really any sharks that size with a human killing spree the only thing on its mind? They are not mindless killing machines with humans as their number one choice!  Attacks are merely a curious animals way of investigating something it thinks might be food, and the problem with having no hands to do this, a bite is the only way possible. There is a few minutes grace after a 'bite', which usually poses the risk of the loss of a limb, and if the shark thinks 'yummy' or decides no. This is when someone should make for shore, but would usually mean splashing about a bit, thus leading to a bit of extra bleeding. Thrashing and bleeding makes someone seem more appetising and...hey hey!

So, even though we should learn to "understand the sea in all its beauty, mystery and power" (Peter Benchley), if you are in the water and are bitten by a shark, try not to splash about or bleed to much! Also, don't wear bright coloured swimwear!

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Source: Educated Marine Scientist.... :P