Shark Attack Tips from National Geographic.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE ATTACKED
• If attack is imminent, defend yourself with whatever weapons you can, advises the ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. "Avoid using your [bare] hands or feet if you can avoid it; if not, concentrate your blows against the shark's delicate eyes or gills." A shark's snout is also said to be sensitive.
• If a shark actually gets you in its mouth, says ISAF's George Burgess, "I advise to be as aggressively defensive as you are able. 'Playing dead' does not work. Pound the shark in any way possible. Try to claw at the eyes and gill openings, two very sensitive areas."
• If bitten, try to stop the bleeding. Leave the water as efficiently, calmly, and swiftly as possible. While many sharks will not bite again, you cannot rule out a second attack.
• Get immediate medical attention, no matter how small the injury.
HOW TO HELP A VICTIM
• Remove the victim from the water as soon as possible.
• Even before you leave the water, begin controlling bleeding by pressing on pressure points or by applying tourniquets.
• Protect the victim from cold by wrapping him or her in a blanket to minimize heat loss.
• Once out of the water try not to move the victim unnecessarily. Call for medical help.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Shark facts: attack stats, record swims, more...
National Geographic News - Shark facts: attack stats, record swims, more...:
Over 375 shark species have been identified, but only about a dozen are considered particularly dangerous. Three species are responsible for most human attacks: great white (Carcharodon carcharias), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), and bull (Carcharhinus leucas) sharks.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
INJURED - 27 June 2005 - Cape San Blas, Florida, US - fisherman attacked
A 16-year-old boy, Craig Hutto, was attacked by a shark while fishing from a sandbar about 50 metres offshore of a sandspit at Cape San Blas on the Florida panhandle in the United States.
The attack, which took place about 10.30am local time on Monday 27 June, is the second shark attack in three days on the Florida panhandle. A 14-year-old girl was killed by a shark on Saturday 25 June near Destin about 130 kilometres northwest of Cape San Blas.
The boy was fishing in waist-deep water with two friends when the shark bit him on the right thigh, nearly severing his leg.
The three fought the shark off the boy, hitting it on the nose several times. Hutto was pulled ashore by his friends and a doctor who happened to be nearby began treatment before he was taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City by helicopter.
A hospital spokesperson told media his leg was amputated and he was listed in critical condition, but expected to recover.
Eric Ritter of the US-based Shark Attack Institute told media it was unlikely that the two attacks were by the same shark.
Experts with the US-based International Shark Attack File (ISAF) pointed out that this attacked was provoked as the boys were baiting the water to catch fish, while the attack on the girl two days earlier was unprovoked as she was merely swimming on her boogie board.
Florida is considered the world's shark attack capital with an average of 32 attacks a year between 2000 and 2004, according to the ISAF.
USA Today report
The attack, which took place about 10.30am local time on Monday 27 June, is the second shark attack in three days on the Florida panhandle. A 14-year-old girl was killed by a shark on Saturday 25 June near Destin about 130 kilometres northwest of Cape San Blas.
The boy was fishing in waist-deep water with two friends when the shark bit him on the right thigh, nearly severing his leg.
The three fought the shark off the boy, hitting it on the nose several times. Hutto was pulled ashore by his friends and a doctor who happened to be nearby began treatment before he was taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City by helicopter.
A hospital spokesperson told media his leg was amputated and he was listed in critical condition, but expected to recover.
Eric Ritter of the US-based Shark Attack Institute told media it was unlikely that the two attacks were by the same shark.
Experts with the US-based International Shark Attack File (ISAF) pointed out that this attacked was provoked as the boys were baiting the water to catch fish, while the attack on the girl two days earlier was unprovoked as she was merely swimming on her boogie board.
Florida is considered the world's shark attack capital with an average of 32 attacks a year between 2000 and 2004, according to the ISAF.
USA Today report
Monday, June 27, 2005
Surfer Recounts Fatal Shark Attack in Florida
Tim Dicus was surfing when he heard the scream. He turned and saw a girl swimming as fast as she could _ and another one face down in a bloody circle of water. Dicus, 54, paddled over to the wounded 14-year-old girl, who had been swimming on a boogie board about 100 yards offshore.
"Right next to her was the shark, about to come up and attack her again," Dicus said. He put the girl on his surf board and the shark _ which appeared to be a bull shark about 8 feet long _ went after her hand.
Surfer Recounts Fatal Shark Attack in Florida
"Right next to her was the shark, about to come up and attack her again," Dicus said. He put the girl on his surf board and the shark _ which appeared to be a bull shark about 8 feet long _ went after her hand.
Surfer Recounts Fatal Shark Attack in Florida
Sunday, June 26, 2005
FATAL - 25 June 2005, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, US - boogie boarder attacked
A 14-year-old girl, Jamie Marie Daigle, was fatally attacked by a shark while boogie boarding with a friend about 200 metres offshore of a Florida beach in the Gulf of Mexico, on Saturday, 25 June. A nearby surfer who witnessed the attacked and brought the girl to shore told media he thought it was an eight-foot Bull shark.
He said most of her thigh had been bitten off revealing the bone.
The girl who was on holiday from Louisiana.
CNN said: "The attack happened at about 11:15 a.m. in front of a campground near
the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in the Florida Panhandle between Pensacola
and Panama City, eight miles east of Destin, United States."
This is the first shark attack in the area, according authorities.
The surfer and two men took the girl to shore. She was transported to the Sacred Heart hospital in Destin where she was pronounced dead.
CNN report
He said most of her thigh had been bitten off revealing the bone.
The girl who was on holiday from Louisiana.
CNN said: "The attack happened at about 11:15 a.m. in front of a campground near
the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in the Florida Panhandle between Pensacola
and Panama City, eight miles east of Destin, United States."
This is the first shark attack in the area, according authorities.
The surfer and two men took the girl to shore. She was transported to the Sacred Heart hospital in Destin where she was pronounced dead.
CNN report
Thursday, June 23, 2005
FATAL - 22 June 2005 - Malekula Island, Vanuatu, South Pacific - swimmer attacked
Seven-year-old Alysha Margaret Webster, from New Zealand, was atatcked and killed while swimming off a beach on Malekula Island in the north of the Vanuatu island group in the South Pacific.
The attack took palce on Wednesday afternoon, 22 June.
Alysha was on a yachting holiday with her parents.
Media reports did not mention the type of shark believed to be responsibe for the attack.
Port Vila Presse, the island newspaper, reported that Malekula is well known for shark attacks and a number of local children have been killed over the years in similar circumstances.
- Sydney Morning Herald report
The attack took palce on Wednesday afternoon, 22 June.
Alysha was on a yachting holiday with her parents.
Media reports did not mention the type of shark believed to be responsibe for the attack.
Port Vila Presse, the island newspaper, reported that Malekula is well known for shark attacks and a number of local children have been killed over the years in similar circumstances.
- Sydney Morning Herald report
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
INJURED - 14 June 2005, Kaeui Island, Korea - diver attacked
A 38-year-old woman diver suffered a serious leg injury after being attacked by what experts believe to be a three-metre Great White shark while diving off Kaeui Island off the west coast of Taean County, South Korea.
The woman, identified only by her family name Lee, was rushed to a local hospital.
Lee who had been diving with 11 divers for ear shell in about 10 metres of water was quoted in the local press as saying: "I felt a hit in the knee, but I did not see it."
CDNN link - http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050614.html
The woman, identified only by her family name Lee, was rushed to a local hospital.
Lee who had been diving with 11 divers for ear shell in about 10 metres of water was quoted in the local press as saying: "I felt a hit in the knee, but I did not see it."
CDNN link - http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s050614.html
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
The International Shark Attack File
The International Shark Attack File is a University of Florida Icthyology reasearch department which keeps a record of all shark attacks around the world. Data is only available to qualifying scientists. It cannot be released into the public domain as it contains post mortems and some pretty shocking images. Nonetheless ther is some info on the site and tehy have recently posted the "ISAF 2004 Worldwide Shark Attack Summary".
"As in recent years, the majority (44%: 27 attacks) of incidents occurred inThe International Shark Attack File
North American waters. The 30 attacks in United States territorial waters
(including Hawaii) were significantly fewer than totals recorded in 2003 (41),
2002 (47), 2001 (50), and 2000 (50). Elsewhere, attacks occurred in Australia
(12), Brazil (5), South Africa (5), and Reunion Island (3), with single
incidents reported from the Bahamas, Cuba, Egypt, Fiji, New Zealand, and
Venezuela."
Great White Shark Attacks: Defanging the Myths
Great White Shark Attacks: Defanging the Myths - a news report from National Geographic.
Great White Shark Attacks: Defanging the Myths
"There is good and bad news for surfers regarding the great white shark
(Carcharodon carcharias). The bad news, according to shark scientists, and
contrary to popular opinion, is that great whites are sharp sighted, curious
animals, prone to taking "taste tests" of unfamiliar objects that catch their
eye.
The good news is they generally don't like to eat people." ...
Great White Shark Attacks: Defanging the Myths
South African shark tourism booms after Cape Town attack
"When there is an attack, we get even more people phoning,'' said Kim MacLean, who has run shark diving trips near Cape Town since 1992, in an interview. "It seems to boost interest."
South African shark tourism booms after Cape Town attack: "
South African shark tourism booms after Cape Town attack: "
INJURED - 5 June 2005, Surf City, Long Beach Island, New Jersey, USA - surfer attacked
In the first attack in 30 years in New Jersey, United States, a 17-year-old surfer, Ryan Horton was bitten on his ankle by what experts believe to have been a small Great White shark.
Horton received 50 stitches to close the wound.
Horton said he never saw the shark and just felt a stabbing pain in his ankle while swimming back to his board after falling off. He managed to paddle to shore where his brother helped him to hospital. He told the press he did not know what had had happened to him until his doctor suggested he had been bitten by a shark.
New York Daily News report:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/317297p-271377c.html
Horton received 50 stitches to close the wound.
Horton said he never saw the shark and just felt a stabbing pain in his ankle while swimming back to his board after falling off. He managed to paddle to shore where his brother helped him to hospital. He told the press he did not know what had had happened to him until his doctor suggested he had been bitten by a shark.
New York Daily News report:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/317297p-271377c.html
FATAL - 4 June 2005, Cape Town, South Africa - spearfisherman attacked
Spearfisherman, Henri Murray, 22, was fatally attacked by a large Great White shark 200-300 metres off Miller's Point near Simon's Town on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.
His friend Piet Van Niekerk, 23, who was diving with Murray managed to get out of the water safely after shooting the shark with his speargun.
Police divers conducted and extensive search for the body, but found only found on floatation buoy that is normally attached to the speargun, the speargun, a flipper, a mask, a snorkel and parts of a weight belt belonging to Murray.
An eyewitness was quoted as saying: "It was incredibly fast. The two spearfishermen were about 100m from the beach. Suddenly a huge shark surged from under the water taking the one diver up to his arms in its jaws. It must have been massive to have done that. Then the shark and the man just vanished."
According to South African Sharks Board statistics, there have been over 70 attacks in Cape waters since 1990, of which eight have been fatal.
In March British tourist Chris Sullivan, 32, was attacked by a Great White shark at Noordhoek. He had to undergo four hours of surgery to his right leg and foot.
In November 2004 Tyna Webb, 77,was killed by a Great White off Jagger Walk on the Fish Hoek coast. Only her red swimming cap was found after the attack.
In June 2004 Nkosinathi Mayaba, 21, a diver from Gansbaai, was fatally attacked off Pearly Beach on the Cape south coast.
In April 2004 surfer JP Andrews lost his lower leg to a Great White at Muizenberg.
In September 2003 a huge Great White killed bodyboarder David Bornman, 19, of Newlands at a popular surf break off Noordhoek beach.
In December 2002 diver Craig Bovim was injured in an attack by a Great White off Scarborough.
IOL report: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=14&art_id=qw111795804177B262
His friend Piet Van Niekerk, 23, who was diving with Murray managed to get out of the water safely after shooting the shark with his speargun.
Police divers conducted and extensive search for the body, but found only found on floatation buoy that is normally attached to the speargun, the speargun, a flipper, a mask, a snorkel and parts of a weight belt belonging to Murray.
An eyewitness was quoted as saying: "It was incredibly fast. The two spearfishermen were about 100m from the beach. Suddenly a huge shark surged from under the water taking the one diver up to his arms in its jaws. It must have been massive to have done that. Then the shark and the man just vanished."
According to South African Sharks Board statistics, there have been over 70 attacks in Cape waters since 1990, of which eight have been fatal.
In March British tourist Chris Sullivan, 32, was attacked by a Great White shark at Noordhoek. He had to undergo four hours of surgery to his right leg and foot.
In November 2004 Tyna Webb, 77,was killed by a Great White off Jagger Walk on the Fish Hoek coast. Only her red swimming cap was found after the attack.
In June 2004 Nkosinathi Mayaba, 21, a diver from Gansbaai, was fatally attacked off Pearly Beach on the Cape south coast.
In April 2004 surfer JP Andrews lost his lower leg to a Great White at Muizenberg.
In September 2003 a huge Great White killed bodyboarder David Bornman, 19, of Newlands at a popular surf break off Noordhoek beach.
In December 2002 diver Craig Bovim was injured in an attack by a Great White off Scarborough.
IOL report: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=14&art_id=qw111795804177B262
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