Does news of shark attacks deter you from going to the beach?
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How to Avoid Shark Attacks
The International Shark Attack File has a few pointers of enjoying the beach without worrying about sharks.
- Swim, dive or surf with other people — never alone.
- Don't swim where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.
- Avoid swimming between sandbars, near steep drop-offs, near channels or at river mouths where sharks are found.
- Don't swim in dirty or turbid water.
- Avoid wearing shiny jewelry that might simulate the scales of a prey fish, and also avoid uneven tanning and contrasting, bright-colored clothing.
- Don't swim at dusk or at night.
- Refrain from excessive splashing.
- Keep pets and domestic animals, with their erratic movements, out of the water.
- Don't swim near people who are fishing or spear-fishing, or near sewage outfalls.
- Avoid spreading blood or human wastes in the water.
- If schooling fish start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, leave the area.
- If a shark is sighted in the area, leave the water as calmly and quickly as possible.
Source: International Shark Attack File, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
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