Why Sharks Are Cool!

"AHH, ITS A SHARK!"

Can you determine from that line whether or not the speaker is terrified or excited? No. However, In this case, the speaker is excited.

Did you know that more people get killed by cows in a year than they do by sharks? That's right, sharks are one of the least harming animals to humans. However, people see the teeth and wig out.

Sharks are very misunderstood creatures, kind of like the orca whale. If sharks would be humans on the street, they'd have to walk around with a seeing eye dog and a cane, wearing sunglasses, because they're virtually blind. Sharks can only see masses of things. They hunt sea turtles, sea lions, and seals primarily, along with other small fish. Whenever they see a surfer on a surfboard, paddling, they think that it's either one of the aforementioned creatures. Sharks do not look at humans and think, "Yum, a tasty treat," contrary to popular belief.

In addition to being virtually blind, sharks have an amazing sense of hearing. When a surfer, or anyone, in the ocean is splashing around, a shark will think they're prey. What is recommended by most marine biologists is that you stop moving completely, to cease the sound and vibrations of the water. They are completely cartilaginous beings, minus the teeth and skeletal system. Sharks' bodies can retain heat so that they can withstand colder waters.

Not to mention it had been a while since anyone has made a notably positive, lovable shark. Up until recently, when Disney's Moana made Maui have a shark head, one of the only positive shark characters was Kenny, from Kenny the Shark. However, let's not forget the moody, sarcastic, king of the ocean, Shark Boy. Shark Boy was featured in The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, released in 2005.

Bull sharks are more aggressive than other breeds of sharks aside from tiger sharks. They reside predominantly in murky water. Great Whites are direct descendants of prehistoric Megalodons. Nurse sharks, whale sharks, and lemon sharks are very social creatures and adapt to situations very quickly.

The last major shark attack took place in Australia, in the year of 1936. Since 2004, there's been at least one attack per year. One thing you should remember if you are alone in the ocean is if you see a shark and it is not swimming or moving, it is probably dead and you don't need to worry.

Most people will study what they're afraid of, a lot of people do this with sharks. In my personal experience, I was traumatized by Jaws at a very young age. As I got older I wanted to learn, so I did. Now, I'm obsessed. I would live in a cage, if I had unlimited oxygen I make memes out of shark pictures I find on the internet.

A Person Swimming with a Shark

Notice how the dorsal fin is cut off and also how calm the shark is? Due to violence and previous assumptions, the poor guy is beat up. Please keep sharks safe.

Sharks, though very misunderstood, are dangerous. Just like any other wild animal, they are not pets. When you're in a cage, it is very highly recommended that you stay as still as possible, as to not confuse or attract close shark activity. Shark attacks can be very mentally jarring. Some people are very nervous about going into the water again, some are eager to jump back in, and others never consider the possibility.

Marine biologists are still actively studying sharks and their behaviors. The answer to the biggest question is still unknown. CAN we prevent shark attacks from ever happening?

If you liked this article please shout it into the void on any social media platform. Be safe and be cautious, but try to be cool too!