If sharks don't want to eat us, why do they attack us?
Believe me, there are researchers determined to find out whether or not sharks enjoy the taste of human flesh. This story began to be debated in 1968 when, in an issue of The Evening Independent, Shelton Applegate, a specialist in vertebrate paleontology, published an article on the subject.
Shelton reportedly noted that swimmers often survive shark attacks: "Most of them (sharks), after taking the first bite, realize they don't like the taste and spit."
Would this thought be correct?
Sharks are not evil
Of course, most people never want to have a face-to-face encounter with a shark, but I swear: they are not evil creatures who want to kill humans.
As predators, sharks obey their instincts and hunt down some sea creatures such as fish, turtles and sea lions - humans do not have the fat to enter this select menu.
Now answer me: would you eat something that won't be cool for your body and that will still fight you and reach one of its most sensitive parts? I think not.
Why do they attack us?
Forget the myth that they confuse us with sea lions or seals: the animal's behavior is very different when hunting. Aidan Martin, director of the ReefQuest Shark Research Center, said he spent five years in South Africa and had a chance to see over a thousand shark attacks on prey: they acted so forcefully that they nearly pulverized the victims.
This is not what happens when there is an attack on a human. Martin believes that when a shark approaches us he is just curious, not thinking about the next dinner.
In addition, they are very intelligent and have very, very sharp senses. Thus, an animal with great vision, hearing and smell would be unlikely to confuse a surfer with a seal.
What happens is that when we cross the path of this predator of the seas, he becomes curious and needs to "see" us closely. Biologist Erich Ritter points out that "the unknown is always potentially dangerous, and approaching or even biting a mysterious object is an exception rather than a rule."
However, if they overcome fear and approach, Martin adds that, "just as we use our hands to know something different, sharks use their teeth to gather tactile evidence."
Do not move aggressively
Now that you know that pets just want to know you, not attack you, comes one more easy-to-understand, almost impossible-to-practice tip: If a shark approaches you, don't run away aggressively.
Experts say they are cautious and if you make sudden movements they may want to approach you more aggressively. The best solution is to stand still and let those huge teeth come close: if you get lucky, they won't have to bite you to get to know you better.
Does taste really have anything to do with it?
Sharks really prefer fish, but there are those who don't mind eating red meat. The truth is that your taste buds are more concerned with finding out if it's tasteful or not, than if it tastes the best.
Nevertheless, they do not like our structure, which is made up of many bones and little fat in relation to their daily diet. There is also the fact that they have a very slow digestive system, which would make it difficult to eat large bones.
In general, sharks are those healed guys at the gym who refuse to drink soda and chips and aren't going out of the diet just because a stuffed cracker pack is making a fool of them.
But since you can't answer that on a test - you may be asked - you can briefly explain that a human being's low fat, added to the fact that we are unknown, potentially dangerous beings and can reach the eyes of animals, make sharks not consider us a "dish" in their menu.
Recommended
