HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The state of Florida saw three shark attacks in the month of June, on top of an attack on a West Virginia teen in North Carolina. The headlines are leaving tourists and swimmers on edge.
“It’s very unlikely to happen. You’re much more likely to be struck by lighting,” said Dr. Thomas Jones at Marshall University.
Jones has been the assistant professor of environmental science at Marshall for the last two decades. He teaches a tropical ecology class, taking students around the world to study the ocean.
“I spend a lot of time not only in the oceans, but I’ve also spent the last 50 days in the Ohio River moving mussels,” he said.
Knowing a lot about where sharks live, Jones knows their behavior. He says more often than not, shark bites are accidental.
“They live in water that’s murky, and they don’t see well,” Jones said. “The only way they can interact with things is through their mouth. They’re really trying to figure out if you are something they would like to try to eat.”
Jones says sharks mainly feed on sea creatures and don’t eat humans, but when they feel electric currents from our muscles in the water, they can get confused.
“Because it can’t see you, and it can’t decide what you are, it tries to taste you, which is unfortunate,” he said.
It’s important to stress that this is extremely rare, but it can happen, and it makes headlines which can cause some uneasiness. There are things you can do to be extra cautious.
“Don’t go in water that’s muddy, so the shark won’t be able to see you,” Jones said. “Go in a crowd. Don’t go by yourself because you’re much more of a prey item, because you’re an individual they can pick you out. That’s why fish swim in schools.”
Jones says most sharks head out to look for food early in the morning and right before dark, which are times you can avoid the water.
An interesting statistic from Professor Jones: On average more than 200 people a year die from vending machines falling on them. Only six or seven die from sharks.
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