Marine biologist Forrest Galante gives tricks to cut back shark assault fears

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A wildlife biologist and "Shark Week" host says the ocean's most feared predators should be revered, however household vacationers should not purchase into the newest "hysteria" about summer season assaults.

"This yr occurs to be the fiftieth anniversary of the film ‘Jaws,’ which has created extra hysteria and extra mass fear for sharks than the rest," Forrest Galante instructed Fox Information Digital this week. "A lot in order that Steven Spielberg himself says that he regrets making the movie."

Elevated worry is also a product of scientific advances which have allowed biologists to extra carefully monitor sharks.

Dold, an 11-foot, 761-pound nice white shark, is being tracked by researchers as he makes his approach down the Florida coast. (OCEARCH)

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For instance, the most important grownup male nice white shark ever recorded within the Atlantic Ocean was recently tracked off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, a preferred seaside trip sizzling spot, inflicting alarm.

"Contender," because the shark has been named, is sort of 14 ft lengthy and weighs an estimated 1,653 kilos. Scientists imagine the shark is 32 years previous.

"Now, this animal has possible been doing this yearly because it was born, however impulsively, now that we now have a satellite tv for pc tag on it, we're seeing that it is in these waters the place we're not expectant of it to be there," Galante mentioned.

"So, it creates these alarm bells and it creates this form of little bit of chaos and panic. However the reality is that shark has most likely swum that route tons of of occasions, and we simply did not find out about it till just lately."

A drone aerial view of Outer Banks Freeway 12, with the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the sound on the fitting, alongside the Cape Hatteras Nationwide Seashore. (Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/UCG/Common Pictures Group by way of Getty Pictures)

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Whereas most sharks stay untagged and swim in each saltwater physique, Galante defined that they by no means deliberately prey on people.

"Now, lots of people worry them, and so they see them as senseless killing machines, however the reality is, these are simply animals that sit on the high of the meals chain," he mentioned. "And any time that we enter into the water, we're getting into into their area. So, when there's a shark assault or a shark chunk, that's just because we now have gone right into a habitat the place we as human beings do not actually belong, and we're not the apex predator."

Training performs a key position in making certain that these having fun with summer season enjoyable within the solar do not develop into victims.

To that finish, Galante supplied some do's and don'ts.

The brand new documentary "Jaws @ 50" will premiere July 10 at 9/8c on Nationwide Geographic and on Disney+ and Hulu the following day. (Nationwide Geographic/YouTube channel)

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Being further cautious when swimming within the ocean at daybreak and nightfall is essential, he mentioned. So is avoiding areas like estuaries, that are pure fish nurseries, and any space that has a number of fish or fowl life or a number of seals or sea lions.

These are referred to as "marine-rich environments" and are sometimes discovered at river mouths, he famous. That is the place sharks prey naturally, and people swimming there might get caught within the combine.

Galante additionally talked about extra particular actions that would appeal to sharks.

"One factor that lots of people do not consider is just not sporting shiny jewellery, as a result of that flash can simulate a bait fish," he mentioned. "The crunching of a beer can or a water bottle truly almost completely simulates the crunching of fish bones. So these little issues that we do inadvertently can truly result in the next chance of a damaging encounter with sharks."

Beachgoers crowd onto Miami Seaside, Fla. (US Solar/Mega)

The underside line for beach vacationers is to do a little bit of homework about their vacation spot earlier than they arrive.

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"In case you do this little little bit of studying — and I imply the identical period of time you may be scrolling Instagram — that jiffy of studying, you are gonna find yourself minimizing your dangers so considerably that, personally, I would not even fear about sharks."