A shark bit a child last week near Crandon Park, off Key Biscayne, leaving him with a minor superficial wound to his leg, just days after a man spearfishing off Key West was badly bitten by a bull shark.
These are just two of the latest shark attacks that have been reported in the state this summer.
But while the many reports on these “attacks” might suggest that they are on the rise, experts say that the numbers are in line with the annual average of incidents.
On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup Friday, Mahmood Shivji, who is a marine science professor at Nova Southeastern University and the director of the Save Our Seas shark center, said increased awareness of shark bites on the news does not mean there is a rise of these incidents.
“[The] average number of shark bites in Florida over the last five years is 19,” he said. “We are not even halfway there at this stage, as far as I know.”
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According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, the odds of being attacked by a shark are 1 in 11.5 million.
In fact Shivji said there should be less sharks in the water as the temperature is warmer this time of year. Sharks’ migration is influenced by the temperature of the water. In the winter, they travel to the south and, in the summer, to the north.
Other factors that shape the behavior of these marine creatures is food. Shivji said that South Florida is not a “great” place for feeding, in comparison to northern areas.
Periods of shark fear in our state can undermine how important they are for the marine ecosystems. Shivji said sharks are essential in keeping oceans healthy because of their position at the top of oceanic food webs.
“The more we reduce shark populations, the greater damage we are doing to marine ecosystems, which then impacts us humans in the long run,” he said.
Among the things that Shivji said beachgoers can do to avoid shark encounters is to not swim in areas where people are fishing, as bait can also attract sharks. Wearing shiny jewelry is also a bad idea, as sharks might mistake it with the scales of bait fish.
“If you do see a shark in the water, then slowly back away and get out of the water,” he said.
You can listen to the full conversation above or wherever you get your podcasts by searching: The South Florida Roundup.
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