Shark Attacks

hjtug said:

Aren't more of us killed by humans than any other animal?

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In 2013, drunk drivers killed over 10,000 people. They're the ones we should really be scared of.

http://www.madd.org/blog/2014/december/2013-drunk-driving-fatalities.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Agoraphobia has its advantages.

Beefnot said:

As a resident of southern California who does not live near cattle and rarely drives in areas where a cow could even be crossing the road while I am driving, I am definitely not more than 20 times more likely to be killed by a cow than a shark.

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These kinds of statistics are silly. They are based on the population as a whole. What about those 58 killed by bees and wasps? What percentage had some kind of allergy to bee stings? How many were from a single sting vs a swarm. I am more worried about dying from a shark attack than from a bee sting.

Obviously a high percentage of those killed by cows work or live on farms. I don't plan to hike in the woods, so bears and elk are not a concern. I do visit the beach, so sharks a a concern and certainly not an irrational fear. Not saying I wouldn't swim in the ocean, we don't do it very often. I won't be looking over my shoulder every second worried about sharks. The chances are still slim. If I bought a lottery ticket, my chances of winning are better than a shark bite. But I don't play, so I actually have a better chance of being attacked by a shark!

dioxide45 said:

These kinds of statistics are silly... Obviously a high percentage of those killed by cows work or live on farms. I don't plan to hike in the woods, so bears and elk are not a concern. I do visit the beach, so sharks are a concern and certainly not an irrational fear...

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You've probably been caught out in the rain.
In coastal U.S. states, lightning strikes & kills more than 37 people each year. The US averages 19 shark attacks each year and one shark-attack fatality every two years. -- National Geographic.
.

hjtug said:

Aren't more of us killed by humans than any other animal?

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Here you go..

http://collectivelyconscious.net/me...rld-it-is-responsible-for-millions-of-deaths/

Grew up swimming and surfing in the Atlantic and Gulf. Don't much go into the water anymore.

Yes, I know we are swimming in "their" home. When I said it was crazy I meant there are more attacks this year than ever before. Statistically the likelihood of being bitten by a shark is nil to none, I'm just saying this year seems to be different and I'm an ocean lover. shaggy

The fact that so many of these attacks are happening in hip-high water is the most disturbing part. Someone posted a video on Facebook recently showing a shark thrashing on a beach in water no deeper than 2 feet.

I also read an article claiming the reason why so many sharks are coming closer to the shore is that they are forced to find food because the ocean is over-fished.

I typically spend several weeks in the Caribbean and love being in the ocean, whether floating on a raft for hours or just chilling/treading water, and although I still do it, I must admit, it's with some trepidation.

This was a rather frightening incident at a pro surf event in South Africa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anhRxIQutZ8

Some friends and I were playing around in the ocean by Deerfield Beach a couple weeks ago when a good sized shark swam right by us. I wonder how many times that's happened when we didn't happen to see it?!

slabeaume said:

Some friends and I were playing around in the ocean by Deerfield Beach a couple weeks ago when a good sized shark swam right by us. I wonder how many times that's happened when we didn't happen to see it?!

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When I lived in San Diego I went in the ocean a lot. My attitude and awareness changed when the evening news had a report of a shark sighting. The announcer said, "If you've been swimming in the ocean here, and you've never seen a shark, rest assured: At least one shark has seen YOU."

Yikes!!

Dave