Fortunately for surfer Charlie Fry, when a 2m (6.5ft) long shark launched at him on a beach near Sydney, he remembered a famous survival story. Ticking swimming with whale sharks in WA off my bucket list, How to stay crocodile safe in outback Australia, Avoid swimming near people doing cage diving, Don’t swim where people are fishing, the fish blood can attract sharks, Urinating can attract sharks, too, so keep that for the bathroom when you return to land, Take note in rivers – some sharks can be found in fresh water, too, Splashing can attract sharks, so don’t attract them with lots of movement while in the water. Sharks are the most feared creatures of the sea and while it might be a long-held belief that warding off a shark is as simple as a good punch in the nose, some experts think otherwise. It's a myth that if you punch it in the nose it will go away. When you look away, he will automatically see this as an opportunity. Because the shark wants to check you out, and he has no arms or legs, he has to do it with his mouth. Make yourself appear bigger and stronger than you really are. You’re braver than you look. He will go into primal kill mode. Media playback is unsupported on your device, A Great White Shark pictured in Gansbaai, South Africa, Tiger sharks are curious animals, and can be found in warm, shallow waters, British doctor 'punches shark' in Australia surfing scare, Australia shark attack: Man suffers 'eight-hour' ordeal, Australian woman picks up shark in pool rescue, Australian surfer Mick Fanning in another shark scare. "The shark is an apex predator," Mr Peirce notes. If you hit it in the nose, it will probably bite you.If you hit a shark in the nose, it doesn't do anything but get it mad at you. Instead, Peirce says you should stand (or swim) your ground and stare the shark right in the eye. Many people say you should punch a shark in the nose, but keep in mind the nose is super close to the mouth. Have a snorkel or camera? Whether it’s the warm sunny beaches in New Smyrna Florida or a beach tucked away in the land down under, always be cautious of sharks. It may scare the shark enough to have him back off for good. “Never try and fight or punch a shark if it comes for you,” he adds. If a shark is right up in your face, punch away and go into fight mode. According to conservationist Richard Peirce, who has written seven books about sharks and has has some close encounters with the animal himself, punching a shark in the nose is not a good plan of action. Actually, no... "The worst thing is to try to run away," Mr Johnson advises. You wouldn't swim anywhere near a fishing boat, because they could be discarding guts and bits of old fish - all of which will bring in sharks and put them in feeding mode.". Punching a shark in the nose would hurt the shark, but not permanently It would only temporarily hurt the shark. They circle as they assess when and how to attack. Don’t even try that maneuver. Summer has come to an end, and now the weather is starting to cool down. Back away slowly. "It's an ambush predator. "Don't swim at dawn or dusk," Mr Peirce advises. Try to look big, not like a small, vulnerable fish in the sea. "It's an ambush predator. "Punching him in the face, going for his eyes, try to keep your hands out of his mouth. One thing in the back of your mind may or may not be sharks. All Rights Reserved. If you're diving in shark-inhabited waters, make sure you're in a pair. Fight back. That way if a shark shows up, you can keep the animal in sight. With your hand in its mouth. There's no chance whatsoever of fighting the shark. Standing your ground and trying to make yourself big and going vertical in the water is always the best response to make a shark keep its distance from you.". If they know that you're watching, they will circle you - and that's happened to me loads of times - but what you do, basically, is try to slowly swim back together.". Here’s what to do should you come face to face with Jaws or his distant cousin. But is punching the predator really the best way out of that situation? Attacks and encounters can be scary, but you can survive it by being shark savvy. Use it as a weapon to fight back. Hopeless, hopeless," he says. Read about our approach to external linking. That way if a shark shows up, you can keep the animal in sight. Some estimates suggest an astonishing 100 million die due to human activity every year - or around 11,000 an hour. This is why some people bitten by sharks report small, exploratory bites. Don’t huddle up into a ball and play dead. Many people say you should punch a shark in the nose, but keep in mind the nose is super close to the mouth. And if you do start it bleeding, you could well attract other animals in...". If you are worried about sharks, then here are a few ways to reduce your risk of being a victim of a shark attack: She became a member of Starts at 60 and got access to amazing travel deals, free masterclasses, exclusive news and features and hot member discounts! He advises using "something hard - be it a camera, a stick, a rock" - to push the animal away. "And you wouldn't swim in an estuary situation. Bull sharks live in fresh water and sea water. The visibility of the water in the Maldives is unbelievable. These are external links and will open in a new window. Yes, it will. "The shark is an apex predator," Mr Peirce notes. The chances of dying in a shark attack are definitely extremely slim. "If you start touching them around the snout, they can pick up your electro-receptions and they know you're possibly edible.". “Trying to punch them on the nose is a pretty stupid thing to do because if you miss, just below the nose is their mouth full of sharp teeth,” Peirce told MailOnline Travel. Try attacking the gills. Sharks are the most feared creatures of the sea and while it might be a long-held belief that warding off a shark is as simple as a good punch in the nose, some experts think otherwise. Don’t panic. The problem is you are probably not going to get the chance to do it - or if you do, it will be after the 'damage’ has already been done. If there's a shark nearby, surely the best thing is to get away as fast as possible? The coasts of South Africa, Brazil, Hawaii, and Fiji are all shark territory, while in the US Florida and California are most affected. "Those are the times that sharks can make mistakes. "It's like throwing a stick for a dog. Look the shark straight in the eye and pivot your head to maintain your stance. When that happens, you've got to be calm.". Sharks often take some time before attacking their prey. So once again, despite every instinct - don't panic, don't splash. The White House doctor says tests show "there is no longer evidence of actively replicating virus". Never … But overall, sharks are at much greater risk from humans than we are from them. "All you're going to do is excite the animal. Punch the shark then leave right away because an aggressive shark might return back shortly. You know when that dog's starting to growl, bare its teeth - and it's exactly the same with a shark. Apparently if you're attacked by a shark, it helps to have read the news. 7 Swim smoothly When you swim do it as smoothly as possible, for additional noise can make the shark more curious as sharks are very sensitive to sounds. Sharks are quite capable of ramming and often will ram things with their snouts as a preliminary to attack. There... © Copyright 2020 - TheSurvivalGuide.com. We got some expert advice on how to survive a shark attack... Ryan Johnson is a shark researcher and documentary maker who studies great whites. "In a situation where you don't have that, going for the face and the gills and trying to keep your hands out of its mouth is always the best thing.". And those are also prime hunting times. Members get more. But of course, the risk depends on your habits - surfers are obviously more likely to run into a fin than those who rarely set foot in the sea, as Surfer.com estimated. I assumed that the shark would perceive me, and keep some distance, but at about thirty feet away the shark seemed to pause, and begin to swim directly at me, a little faster than before. If you’re swimming, and happen to see a suspicious fin heading toward you, try to stay calm. Conservationist and wildlife author Richard Peirce, who lives between Africa and the UK, has had many sharks approach "closer than I was happy with", and agrees the best deterrent is a shove to the nose from a heavy object - perhaps a camera, or a shark "billy" - basically a sharpened stick about two or three feet long. He also suggests avoiding turning your back on them, because similar to safari animals like tigers and lions, they’re likely to attack prey who are perceived to be in a state of weakness. But before you flip around and quickly head back to the sandy shore, don’t make any sudden moves. While there’s plenty to see and do there, it’s likely you’ll be spending some time at the beach and in the water. The main thing on your mind is to flee and get out of the water. Absolutely. Think they care if you punch ‘em? "Gosh, no! This could help thwart a sudden bite. “The main thing to do is stay calm – don’t start shouting or splashing around in the water and don’t try and swim away – you’ll never make it.”. Both men were lucky enough to escape with their lives. One wrong move and it’s over! Read more: Ticking swimming with whale sharks in WA off my bucket list. One wrong move and it’s over! Look him in the eye. Read more: How to stay crocodile safe in outback Australia, He also suggests easing away from the situation by making your way back to shore or your boat, because “if the shark doesn’t see you as a threat it is less likely to want to attack.”. There have been 18 shark attacks - including one fatal incident - in Australia this year, according to the Australian Shark Attack File. The rumor is that a good, hard punch to the snout is going to send a shark reeling. 8 Don't play dead … You’re on your way to that long-awaited vacation that you’ve been planning for months. when a 2m (6.5ft) long shark launched at him on a beach near Sydney, he remembered a famous survival story, Surfer Mick Fanning in another shark scare, Australia brings in drones to protect swimmers, The Florida Museum of Natural History puts the odds of a fatal attack at about 1 in 3,748,067, surfers are obviously more likely to run into a fin than those who rarely set foot in the sea, as Surfer.com estimated, Some estimates suggest an astonishing 100 million die due to human activity every year. One is that its super hard to punch anything underwater, making a good thump on the nose pretty unrealistic. The source - Australian pro surfer Mick Fanning, who punched a shark in the back live on TV during a competition in South Africa. The Florida Museum of Natural History puts the odds of a fatal attack at about 1 in 3,748,067. The shark is the animal we most commonly associate with a sucker punch. Many people agree that the best thing to do in case a shark actually tried to attack you is to punch it in the nose. But if you’re going to a shark-friendly area like Florida’s Atlantic coast, you have to be prepared. Join now, it’s free to become a member. You can easily see 50-75 feet away, and so I was enjoying watching this shark slowly approach. It may scare the shark enough to have him back off for good. There are over 400 species of shark, and around a dozen are considered highly dangerous to humans - chiefly the great white, tiger shark and bull shark.
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