Shark Week warnings as experts reveal 6 ways to reduce your risk of a shark bite
California has about three shark bites per year and a fatality about every third year, according to Lowe — but numbers change as the population increases and more people seek out offshore recreation.
“When people start going out into the open ocean … they may be encountering shark species that haven’t been around people before,” he said. “And therefore, you’re a novelty.”
Fishing content creator Henry Gibbs was bitten by a grey reef shark while spearfishing in Fiji. (Getty Images)
Ocean spear fishing and kayak fishing are examples of “risky” excursions that have gained popularity in the last few decades, Lowe noted.
“Not only do you have a bloody fish on the end of your spear, but you’re out around sharks that might not have been around people before,” he said. “So, we just don’t know how those sharks will react.”
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“If you’re kayak fishing, and you’ve got your legs in the water, and you’ve got a bloody fish, your leg could get mistaken by an excited shark trying to steal your fish.”
When diving or snorkeling, it’s important not to present yourself “as prey,” Wernath warned.
No. 4: Skip dawn and dusk swims; never swim alone
Dawn and dusk are peak feeding times for many sharks, increasing the risk of encounters.
Because sharks can mistake people for prey, Lowe recommends avoiding murky water and shiny jewelry that can mimic fish scales.
Because sharks can mistake people for prey, experts recommend avoiding murky water and shiny jewelry that can mimic fish scales. (iStock)
The chances of being bitten are statistically lower when swimming in a group than alone, Lowe said — and if trouble arises, others are there to help.
No. 5: React quickly
During a close encounter, it’s important to confirm that the animal is actually a shark, as dolphin and stingray fins can look similar in the water.
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Unlike dolphins and stingrays, which typically show a single fin before disappearing underwater, sharks often reveal both their dorsal and tail fins.
“Tail fins will be moving more in a sweeping motion,” Wernath said. “It won’t go under gradually like a submarine. It won’t arc like a dolphin in a rolling fashion.”
In an aerial view, a juvenile white shark swims in the clear, shallow water of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of La Jolla on Nov. 22, 2023, in San Diego, California. (Getty Images)
If a shark is identified, give it space and calmly exit the water.
“Don’t splash, don’t cause a commotion, which will attract the shark, but just get out,” Lowe said. “If you’re on a surfboard or a boogie board, try to pull yourself up onto it, and just don’t present yourself as prey.”
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“If you see the shark, always keep your eyes on it,” he advised. “Follow it, track it, let the shark know you see it, turn your body toward it.”
“If the shark comes closer, you can just slowly back up and keep watching it. If you lose track of it, the first place you should always look is behind you.”
Unlike dolphins and stingrays, which typically show a single fin before disappearing underwater, sharks often reveal both their dorsal and tail fins. (iStock)
A shark approaching from behind is usually trying to investigate without being noticed. Once it realizes it has been spotted, however, “most of the time, the gig is up,” Lowe said.
If it continues to approach, he recommends giving it “a good bop in the nose” to discourage it from coming closer.
“If the shark gets really close, I’m always an advocate of striking out at them. I think humans need to let sharks know that they’re not supposed to get close to us,” he added.
No. 6: Respect the species
Experts say the key to safely coexisting with sharks is respecting their habitat and behavior while avoiding actions that could make people appear to be prey.
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“They’re much more intelligent than we give them credit for,” Wernath said, noting that they carefully assess potential prey before attacking. “They’re hunters. They’re going to look around and make sure they can get to a prey without getting hurt.”
The biggest misconception about sharks is that if they’re nearby, they’re going to bite you, Lowe said, adding that research proves this “simply isn’t true.”
CSULB Shark Lab researcher Dr. Ryan Logan spear tags a great white shark off Huntington Beach, California, on Sunday, March 9, 2025. (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Although human and shark populations have grown thanks to conservation efforts, shark bites haven’t increased as expected.
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“They might occasionally bite a person, but we don’t really know why,” Lowe went on. “We don’t know if they’re biting because they mistake us as food … [or] because they feel we’re a threat.”
“Based on our last six years of data using drones, we see white sharks around people pretty much every day, and they seem to largely ignore people,” he added. “What that clearly tells me is that humans are not on any shark’s menu.”
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/shark-week-warnings-experts-reveal-6-ways-reduce-your-risk-shark-bite