The vast majority of tourists planning to spend a vacation in a tropical or equatorial countries on the shore of the warm sea or ocean, wondering about the peculiarities of the local fauna.If sea urchins, jellyfish, stingrays, barracuda, scorpion fish and moray eels cause only ironic smile, the attitude towards large predators - sharks - a much more serious.Although shark attacks on humans, especially in popular tourist areas, a phenomenon quite rare, nevertheless, they are able to wreak unprecedented havoc among travelers until the complete renunciation of sea bathing.
In order to understand the validity of this attitude to these animals, you must first familiarize yourself with all the variety of large marine predators.
seals and walruses, oddly enough, are very dangerous to humans than is commonly believed.Despite the fact that the number of attacks of these animals is rarely fixed, however, they are not averse to eat human flesh.However, the serious danger they are not, because their natural habitat is not the same as a favorite holiday destination, and in the Bering Sea are unlikely to swim accidentally wandered into the area by tourists.
most dangerous predators of the sea has always been a killer whale - whale.The large size is clearly unfriendly attitude, a habit of attacking in packs and the ability to turn a small boat make orcas really the most ferocious and dangerous animals.It increases the danger and the fact that their range is the entire world's oceans, except inland seas (such as black), but to meet her in the coastal zone is almost unreal: orcas prefer to stay at 600-800 meters from the shore.
fans of south-east Asia should be afraid of meeting with the crocodile.Yes, sometimes crocodiles roam freely from the mouths of the rivers into the sea, lying in wait for their prey.Especially likely meet these animals in the mangroves.
barracuda and moray eels, mentioned above, also represent a serious threat.Barracudas are found in the tropics and subtropics (the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and others.) As a rule, they do not attack humans - except for an error, mistaking him for a fish.May trigger an attack light items of clothing, shiny accessories.Moray eels are a real danger for divers and divers, along with the sea eel.The range of their habitat coincides with the area of barracuda.
Lastly, shark.Not all of them are dangerous to humans.Consider the following a few of hazardous and relatively dangerous representatives:
1. tiger shark lives in the tropics, sometimes coming close to the coast.The most common off the coast of Japan, New Zealand, Hawaii and the Caribbean, at least - at the coast of Africa, India and Australia.Hunts mostly at night, and just at the surface.Shark attack this type most frequently recorded in Hawaii and is 3-4 cases per year (taking into account the fact that every day on the beaches there can be a few thousand people).
2. Blue shark lives in the tropics and in the temperate zone.Special hazards for human health, it is not: cases of attacks are rare (less than 30 per year worldwide).In the attack often injures man and departures than kills and eats.
3. hammerhead shark previously considered one of the most dangerous, which is due solely to its frightening appearance.In fact, attacks on humans are extremely rare fixed.
4. White Shark, known as man-eating sharks, justifies both his name.It is found in the coastal waters of the oceans around the globe.He prefers to keep the surface layers of water.It was this shark became a celebrity thanks to the movie "Jaws", though not deservedly so.White sharks prefer fish, birds and marine mammals.Her favorite place of hunting - the coast of the United States, the southern coast of Africa, earlier - the Mediterranean Sea.Occasionally, it appears in the Red Sea.Hunt prefers afternoon.Preference for fatty foods.Shark attack of this kind results in the death of the victim for a man in 30% of cases a year worldwide fixed around 140-150 cases.
5. bull shark or bull shark is also very dangerous.It spread throughout the world's oceans, often goes up the rivers of the oceans.Attacks usually solitary swimmers on humans or fish, mammals.
6. Sometimes an attack on the people credited and whitetip sharks, despite the fact that they prefer to hunt at great depths in the open ocean.Their prey usually become victims of shipwrecks and plane crashes.To the coast, these sharks come very rarely, though, according to media reports, in Egypt, not so long ago there were five such cases.
dealt with the hazards, now let's talk about the common misconceptions about sharks.
| Myths Facts | |
| all sharks are dangerous to humans.In fact, only 3-4% of sharks attacking people, others prefer to eat fish, plankton, shellfish and marine mammals. | Sharks, like many other animals, such as dogs, snakes, fear of the victim. sharp chaotic movements, cries, as the spray can scare off a predator, and vice versa, to provoke an attack of sharks. |
| sharks can not be saved.This is not true. Sharks are quite shy sometimes attack can prevent unexpected movements or camera flash. | Sudden disorderly movements sharks can be perceived as a provocation.And because he saw in the immediate neighborhood of this predator, try to calm, measured, but quickly retreat. |
| Sharks swim very fast.Some species during the hunt actually reach speeds up to 60 km / h, but the majority is still moving slowly - up to 8-12 km / h. | Sharks rarely attack a flock of large animals.Therefore, in areas where sharks attack probably safer to swim in groups of at least 3-5 people. |
| Sharks are sacrificed by the smell of blood or noise. smell of blood really attracts some species of these predators, but the vision they also developed quite well, including in the dark. In addition, sharks have a stunning electric feeling, due to which the victim can smell at a distance of more than a kilometer along the electric field. | Sharks often attack at night, at dusk and before dawn. That dark time - the period of their hunting. This is the real reason that many resorts (eg, in Egypt) is forbidden to swim in the sea after sunset. |
Thus, it becomes clear that in most cases the fear of sharks - contrived and exaggerated.Of course, these predators are dangerous, but rarely real and unfounded.Show respect for the inhabitants of the sea - this is their home, and you - at a party.When diving, snorkeling, surfing, or simply bathing, be careful, do not provoke the attack.
When traveling to a particular country's security interests in the sea and the local fauna.Thus, shark attack in Egypt, though rare, but the authorities have adopted a policy to protect travelers from these predators: pay attention to the warning signs on the beach, do not swim away far into the sea, especially alone, and avoid places where the seabed drops sharply.If you met a predator - do not panic and do not show any interest in it, it is better nestle close to the group or to the reef and quietly leave.Compliance with these rules is able to save your life, so do not neglect them.
But we should not exaggerate the risk of encounters with sharks.So, according to statistics, the number of people killed in road accidents every year, many times the number of fatal encounters with these marine predators.But this is not a reason to refuse to transport?
In addition, a person annually consumes a huge amount of sharks, sometimes jeopardizing the existence of entire populations.Therefore, they have more reason to fear us than vice versa.The man is far more dangerous than any other representative of life on Earth!
