LIHUE — Sharks are swimming through the airwaves this weekend as Discovery Channel kicks off its popular Shark Week. And while television promises some gnarly bites, scientists warn there is a difference between entertainment and reality.
It’s the 30th anniversary of Shark Week and Discovery Channel says to expect some ‘jawsome shark programming” all week through next Sunday.
You can learn about shark’s mutations and adaptations for life in the deep blue sea, while enjoying footage from places like Guadalupe Island, Cuba and South Africa.
“Shark Week’s team of renowned scientists deliver all-new groundbreaking shark stories incorporating innovative research technology to reveal compelling insight into the mysterious world of sharks,” said Discovery representatives in a news release.
The channel promises an all-star lineup of athletes and celebrities including Shaquille O’Neal, Ronda Rousey, Aaron Rodgers, Rob Gronkowski, Lindsey Vonn, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John, Guy Fieri and Bear Grylls.
But researchers say it’s important to remember the facts about sharks, particularly about why — and how often — they bite humans.
Kim Holland, shark researcher with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is one of several scientists who warn “Nat Geo is all about entertainment — not science.”
Research firm SafeWise recently did a 10-year study of shark attacks across the United States and found that since 2007 only six shark attacks were fatal.
The firm used data from Florida Museum and the Global Shark Attack File to map and calculate their findings, which showed the majority of shark attacks since 2007 were off Florida.
That state tallied 244 shark attacks in that time period.
Hawaii came in second place with 65 attacks, followed by South Carolina’s 39, California’s 33, Texas’ 11, and Oregon’s six bites over the last 10 years.
Tiger sharks, bull sharks and great whites are some of the most common offenders in attacks. In Hawaii, tiger sharks are usually the ones involved in bites.
Holland and fellow researcher Carl Meyer have been studying tiger shark patterns around Maui and Oahu, and point to an abundance of prey as a reason why Maui has a higher number of shark/human encounters than the other Hawaiian Islands.
While some studies have shown sharks mistake humans for their prey, Holland is quick to remind the public “no one knows why sharks bite humans.”
“In one sense it is ‘mistaken identity’ because we know that humans are not a normal part of the diet of tiger sharks — the main culprits in Hawaii,” Holland said.
“Perhaps a better question is why there are not more attacks than there are — we know that tiger sharks are in Hawaii waters year-round and we know there are thousands of people in the ocean every day. However, there are only a handful of attacks every year.”
Chances of being bitten, according to SafeWise data, are 11.5 million to one, and the firm says you’re more likely to be in a car accident, struck by lightning or die from the flu before being bitten by a shark.
However, they do suggest ways to lower those chances, like swimming in a group, staying close to shore, avoiding swimming at night, avoiding sandbars and ocean drop-offs, not entering the water with an open wound, watching out for sea life and large schools of fish, and finally, staying out of the water if a shark warning sign is posted.
Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources also advises, in addition to the above, to avoid murky waters and harbor entrances, and to remove speared fish from the water or tow them a safe distance behind you.
You can catch all the action on the screen, though, which started Sunday with “Alien Sharks: Greatest Hits” and continues through until the last show, “Naked and Afraid of Sharks” next Sunday.
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Jessica Else, environment reporter, can be reached at 245-0452 or at jelse@thegardenisland.com.
