Is it true that sharks eat people? Shark people

Tourists going on holiday to Egypt should not be especially afraid of sharks: while on the shore, according to statistics, they are in greater danger. The likelihood of a shark attacking a person remains extremely low. This kind of fear is successfully created and maintained through the media and cinema. Thus, sociological surveys showed that after the release of Steven Spielberg’s film “Jaws,” the US population was gripped by the fear of being eaten by sharks. Respondents believed that this is one of the leading causes of death for Americans, when in fact the chance of dying in the mouth of a shark is negligible.

On last week three Russian tourists vacationing in the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh became victims of a shark attack and received severe injuries, and on the weekends. Most likely, the tourists were attacked by a long-winged shark, often found in tropical zone. It is possible that in both cases we're talking about about the same shark.

Every minute in the world, millions of people are in the waters of the seas where sharks live (that is, theoretically they can attack a person). If we take this into account, the number of shark attacks will be negligible. For comparison, around the world in car accidents About a million people die a year. However, rare shark attacks receive far more media coverage than ordinary traffic accidents, even fatal ones. In some ways, shark attacks are similar to plane crashes. It is no secret that, according to statistics, the likelihood of problems during a flight is very small, but every aircraft accident ends up on the front pages of newspapers and news releases, fueling the so-called aerophobia.

According to statistics, no more than five people die from shark attacks around the world every year.

Even when going to the beach, there are more likely dangers than a shark attack. Lovers sea ​​water may become “victims” of jellyfish and stingrays - such incidents occur much more often than shark attacks.

In addition, even if a shark bites a diver, this does not mean death for him. People are too tough a meal for sharks; they prefer seals or sea ​​lions, whose organisms are richer in fat and more nutritious. Therefore, the likelihood of receiving fatal injuries from a shark bite is even less - they “spit out” people, since the efforts spent on hunting are not compensated by the quality of “food”.

Why do attacks happen? The point is that

sharks have a lot poor eyesight. They may well confuse a diver in fins with a fur seal, their “favorite dish.”

Therefore, attacking people is just a hunter’s mistake. As soon as the shark grabs the swimmer and bites him, she realizes that she made a mistake - this is not fur seal, but something much less edible. In this case, most often she lets the victim go. Unfortunately, in the time it takes for the shark to sort out the food, a person may already suffocate or bleed to death.

Weaknesses on the jaws of juvenile sharks (marked in white)//BBC

There is another reason why sharks refuse to continue eating if the food is too tough. Australian scientists found that before reaching maturity, the terrible jaws of sharks have weak points.

Teenage sharks refuse to eat hard food because they risk severe damage to their teeth, which they will need for hunting for the rest of their lives.

Researchers have studied the mechanism of a shark bite using computed tomography, which provides a three-dimensional picture. skeletal system animal. It made it possible to discover the “Achilles heel” of terrible predators in their youth.

In addition, the latest shark attacks on people in the Red Sea may also be a consequence of ecosystem disruption, Egyptian scientists say. Perhaps uncontrolled fishing in tourist areas is to blame. Thus, in places where divers dive, sharks remain hungry - fishermen deprive them of their traditional food, and they are forced to attack people who (especially in wetsuits) more or less resemble their traditional prey.

Environmentalists believe that it is necessary to introduce stricter restrictions on fishing in these areas, up to and including a complete ban.

It seems to me that they are everywhere. Always friendly and helpful, looking impeccable and eager to hug you when they meet. Or even call him your best friend. They give your woman flowers and compliments, while never allowing themselves too much. maximum -
the reverent kiss of a graceful hand. They ask how your mother is and how happy you are with your new car. They invite you to your birthday and remember yours. They are always there.

It would be better to never know their true face. Because it manifests itself under very sad circumstances. For example, if you die. Or, which, of course, is not much better, your financial or political position will be shaken. They will not come to the rescue, they will only sympathize with understanding and try to move away as soon as possible in order to think about everything and begin to act. To put it where necessary, or block it where possible, in order to strengthen and speed up your fall. Maybe they like the actual process, or perhaps it’s in the blood, hereditary - to finish, trample, finish...

They will help, of course, they will help, but under such conditions that it would be better not to help. They will help you in such a way that, having crawled out of this vile pit, you will immediately fall into the next one - to them.

And where are the old manners and smooth, obsequious partings of impeccable hairstyles? Where best friend Tolik or Slavik, who not so long ago swore eternal and unbreakable friendship? Instead of them there are some cold white fish, looking at you indifferently from the height of their well-being. They may remind you that your mother has a bad heart condition and it would be nice for her not to know at all about what happened... They will hint to your woman about very serious circumstances and, on occasion, slap their fins on her elastic butt. They are waiting for this moment. They wait for your difficulties and then revel in them. Behind the understanding smiles lies the well-veiled delight of the Creator of your chaos - the Creator of misfortune and adversity.

And if, God forbid, you are partners, and you allow yourself one fine day (for everyone, of course, but not for you) to die, something terrible will happen. After lavish funeral And beautiful speeches, they will slowly and systematically take everything for themselves. Houses, cars, business, connections, your women and your victories. They will do everything so masterfully that from the outside it will look like the noblest of deeds of true gentlemen. In a month (perhaps two), they will revel in the fall of your inconsolable half, pouring out their delight at her defeated ideals. The secret dream of these people is to completely fuck your beloved right next to your open coffin. So that she would hold onto its edge with her hands and this entire structure - the pedestal, the coffin, you, she - would sway together in a rhythmic waltz of life and death. What kind of kisses and gallantry are there, where did the modest friend and partner go, where did he get that ringing steel in his gaze and the unyielding strength of his hands?..

How to identify these people? How to calculate them in the huge variety of people around you? Now, when you, caressed by Fortune, stand at the pinnacle of life, sparkling in health and enjoying success with women? And what’s worse: making a mistake when sorting, enrolling a decent person as a shark, or vice versa?

I haven't found an answer yet. Therefore, to everyone - only with your face, with a friendly smile, easily turning into a grin...

Although they are considered the largest sea ​​predators, dangerous to humans, how much do we really know about sharks? Did you know that a person is more likely to be the victim of an attack by another person ( ex boyfriends and girlfriends don’t count) than sharks? Or that, since the 16th century, there have been far fewer unprovoked shark bites than the number of text messages you send every month? Did you know that sharks come not only gray, but also in all colors of the rainbow - for example, pink and yellow?

Sharks are fascinating creatures that play a key role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Without these skilled predators (okay, not all of them are skilled - some seem as lost as we do on Monday mornings) the ocean ecosystem would be so disrupted that humans might have to say goodbye to fish and crustaceans.

Our list today includes some little known facts about sharks, namely: why baby sharks eat their brothers and sisters in the womb, what is the largest organ of sharks and many others.

Since the great white shark is already so popular, we will focus mainly on facts about other shark species that live in our oceans.

So, here are 25 facts about sharks that you still didn’t know!

25. The most disgusting taste on the planet

One of the national Icelandic dishes is called “hákarl”. It is prepared from the meat of a Greenland shark or basking shark, which is freshened, cut and left for 6-8 weeks to drain the juices, and then kept for 2-5 months. fresh air dry out.

Renowned American chef Anthony Bourdain described the flavor as 100 times richer than blue cheese and said it was "the single worst, most disgusting, worst-tasting thing."

24. Sharks help humans fight infection


Since for some reason barnacles and microorganisms do not grow on sharks at all, scientists are studying their skin to find a way to fight bacterial infections in the human body.

23. The strangest thing that sharks eat


It is known that sharks living in northern latitudes, often eat seals, but did you know that Greenland sharks sometimes eat horses, deer and even polar bears?

22. Why do sharks attack people more often near California?


There are more shark attacks in the waters off California because there is more prey there. By order of the US government, there are several different protected areas located nearby. natural areas. Populations marine mammals are increasing, thereby attracting hungry sharks to the shores of the state wanting to profit.

21. Number of shark bites recorded over the past 400 years


Between 1588 and 2011, there were only 2,463 unprovoked shark bites recorded. Less than 20% of these cases were fatal.

20. A shark can eat an underwater camera


Since they are able to pick up electrical signals emitted by living creatures, during a hunt they can mistake an underwater camera emitting an electrical signal for prey and eat it.

19. Shark blood contains anticoagulants


Scientists are also testing shark blood to help patients with heart disease. In particular, they are studying the blood clotting system present in the blood of these predators.

18. Best place to survive a shark attack


If a person is bitten by a shark, then it is best for him to swim to the place where the water is coolest, since cold water body temperature decreases, thereby slowing down blood loss. Despite all this, he dies from shark bites fewer people than when playing football in high school or college.

16. Baby sharks eat their brothers and sisters

Baby sharks often eat their siblings in the womb. Do you know why? Since a female shark can be impregnated by several males at once, the baby sharks eat each other so that only their father's children are born.

15. Great white sharks don't like the taste of human meat.


Ask anyone what shark they are most afraid of, and the answer will most likely be the great white shark. Luckily, people don't have to be too afraid of great white sharks because they don't actually like the taste of human flesh; they most often bite and release their prey.

14. Self-heating eyes


Sharks that live in cold waters can use organs located near their eye sockets that heat their eyes, helping them see better and therefore hunt better in icy water.

13. A shark that swims while sleeping


The katran, or common spiny shark, is best known among sharks for its strange feature: it sleeps while swimming. Just like sleepwalkers who can sleep and walk, the Katran can swim while sleeping.

12. The strange romance of blue sharks


Many shark species have unusual ways seduction. To show his interest, the male blue shark bites the female. Strongly. And female blue sharks' skin is naturally three times thicker than that of males to protect them during such courtships.

11. Colorful sharks


In addition to their well-known grayish appearance, sharks are pink or yellow in color.

10. Barking shark


The California bloat shark, or Chilean cathead shark, can inflate with water and swell, doubling its body size to prevent predators from pulling them out of the reefs and crevices where they sleep during the day (these sharks lead night look life). If you take them out of the water, they swallow air and, deflating, make sounds similar to barking.

9. The smallest shark


The surprisingly small shark Etmopterus perryi has a body length of only 20 cm. Thanks to the presence of photophores, it can emit a glow.

8. A jaw the size of almost three people


A whale shark can open its mouth up to 4.6 meters. Fortunately for humans, it feeds only on plankton.

7. Sharks have excellent peripheral vision


An alarming fact about sharks for small fish: they can see almost 360 degrees around them. The only places they can't see are right in front of the muzzle and just behind the head.

6. Shark playing football


Atlantic herring sharks, or lamnas, when not prowling for food, throw pieces of seaweed among themselves in a peculiar game that can be compared to football.

5. Shark is the patroness of travelers


If you are a tourist, looking for inspiration in animals, then pay attention to hammerhead sharks. These migratory travelers sail from the Florida coast all the way to the polar region, adapting to changing water temperatures along the way.

4. Sharks have the largest organ


Despite its seemingly gluttonous nature, the largest organ

Due to misinformation, sharks have a bad reputation. However, you will come to appreciate these fish once you learn the basic facts about shark life.

Approximately 465 known shark species live in the oceans today

It is difficult to estimate the population size of each shark species individually because each species' range covers such a large geographic area. But total number sharks in wildlife is constantly declining.

While many of us are afraid of sharks, we need to know that Man is the Most big predator on the planet. People scarier than sharks. In fact, humans kill more than 73 million sharks every year.

On average, 30 to 50 shark attacks are reported annually, only 5 to 10 of these attacks are fatal to humans. The chances of dying from a shark attack are significantly lower than the chances of dying from a hornet, wasp, bee or dog attack. You may think of sharks as terrifying, man-eating predators, but in reality, only 3% of sharks—a small minority—are dangerous to humans.

Sharks are the predecessors of dinosaurs. They older than dinosaurs for 200 million years. Moreover, over 450 million years (the geological age of sharks), these the most ancient representatives the fauna has not changed at all.

Sharks are the top of the food chain - they are the top predators of the seas and regulate the populations of all species.

Recent studies have shown that there is a massive depletion of sharks. This has cascading consequences for changes in the entire ocean ecosystem.

Sharks are fish

Sharks belong to the family cartilaginous fish. The difference between cartilaginous fish and bony fish is that the cartilage skeleton is lighter and more flexible.

Sharks breathe through a series of gill slits, with 5-7 gill slits located on either side of their body.

All sharks have several rows of teeth. They lose teeth on a regular basis, but new teeth continue to grow and replace the lost ones.

When a shark dies, the salt of the seawater completely dissolves its skeleton, leaving only its teeth.

Shark skin" consists of a series of scales that act as an outer frame for easy movement in the water. The top side of the shark is usually dark to blend in with the water and is not visible from above. And their lower part is white, harmonizes with the lighter surface of the sea below. This helps sharks camouflage themselves.

Sharks have a very keen sense of smell, capable of detecting blood in the water from several miles away.

Sharks' eyes have a surprisingly wide field of view, covering almost 360 degrees. Their panoramic view of underwater world Only two blind spots inhibit, one in front of the muzzle and the other directly behind the head.

Sharks are adapted to life in a wide range different temperatures aquatic environment.

Some species live in shallow, coastal areas, other species live in deep waters, on the ocean floor, and still others on the surface in the open ocean.

The goblin shark lives along outer continental shelves and underwater ridges. Their dwellings are too deep for people, so we know almost nothing about them.

Some species, such as the bull shark, are able to live in both salt and fresh water.

Most sharks are active in the evening and at night - this is their hunting time.

Sharks are capable of migrating long distances—on a scale that can cross entire ocean basins.

There are solitary species of sharks, and there are social ones - preferring to live in groups.

How do sharks feed and what do they eat?

• Some shark species, such as the great white shark, attack from below. As a rule, their prey is seals and sea lions.
• Species of sharks that live on the ocean floor have developed the ability to collect bottom food.
• There are species of sharks that attack schooling fish.
• Large and basking sharks feed like whales, filtering ocean water through their wide-open mouths. Swallow during filtration large number plankton and krill.

Shark Facts You Should Know

Sharks mature slowly, reaching reproductive age at 12 to 15 years. A whale shark can reproduce its first offspring only after reaching the age of 30 years. This, combined with the fact that many species only give birth to one or two young, means that sharks have great difficulty recovering. This is why their population has declined so much.

The gestation period of a shark lasts from 5 months to 2 years, depending on the type of shark. Some female sharks use sperm from multiple males to create a single litter.

Soon after birth, the baby sharks, while still puppies, swim away from their mother. They are able to stand up for themselves from birth. Baby sharks are born with a full set of teeth and are able to feed and live independently.

All sharks are characterized by cannibalism. At the same time, not only adults are cannibals; prenatal cannibalism is exhibited by baby sharks, feeding on the eggs of fellow sharks, which the female produces during pregnancy. That’s why out of a litter of 80 eggs, only 1-2 baby sharks are born.

Sharks that eat the eggs of their siblings in the womb are not vicious. They're just looking nutrients to support themselves as they grow.

A baby shark is a miniature copy of its parents. The photo shows tiger sharks.

The largest known extinct shark species, Megalodon, reached a maximum length of 20 meters (67 ft).

Of the living creatures, the largest is the gigantic whale shark. It can reach a body length of 15 meters.

TOP smallest sharks:

1. Dwarf spiny shark (Squaliolus laticaudus) - the usual body length is 15-20 cm, and the maximum is 24 cm.
2. The dwarf glow shark (Euprotomicrus bispinatus) is a fish 20-25 cm long.
3. Longnose shark (Heteroscymnoides marleyi) is a small fish, 12.5-30 cm long.
4. Lighttail shark (Euprotomicroides zantedexchia) - maximum length 20 cm.
5. Cuban marten shark (Triakidae barbouri) - maximum 35-40 cm.

Glowing shark - record holder of minimalism

Some of known species Sharks drown if they stop moving. They do not have a swim bladder, so they must swim all the time - they expend a lot of energy in movement. Compare. A great white shark needs 11 tons of food every year! And a human being eats half a ton of food a year.

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), Mako (blacktip, mackerel, blue-gray) shark and Salmon sharks (Lamna ditropis) of the herring family - do not have muscles, they pump water through the mouth and gills. They keep their mouths open the entire time they swim, this keeps them alive.

Sharks have large livers. Shark livers contain a lot of oil. This makes the liver a relatively buoyant organ, helping sharks maintain balance in the water.

Poking a shark in the nose or eyes to fend off their attack does not help. It’s better to hit them in the gills (these are large slits along the snout) - this tactic works much more effectively against sharks. Most sharks swim away when their target is difficult to reach for their food. You are more likely to die from drowning than from a shark attack. This is true.

Tiger sharks, great white sharks and bull sharks (blunt-nosed bull sharks) generally attack people from behind. Their prey is anything that is human-sized. They are strong enough to attack and deliver a fatal bite.

In the extremely rare event that a shark bites you, it most likely will not attempt a second bite. When attacking people, sharks usually hold them for a few seconds and then release them once they realize that what they have tasted is not a sea creature.

20-30 percent of sharks are critically endangered. The main culprit is industrial fishing, where sharks are accidentally caught on hooks and nets. And due to the excessive popularity of shark fins (commercial demand), the populations of some shark species have declined by approximately 90%.

The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is considered the rarest shark species.

Another rare species— Frilled (fried) shark Chlamydoselachus anguineus. They are often called living fossil sharks. They live on the big ocean depths 1000-1500 meters.

Shark eggs are very different in appearance from those eggs laid by birds, lizards or crocodiles. They are often protected by capsules or leathery pouches. In the case of the horn shark, they are called "mermaid purses."

Contrary to popular belief, sharks are not colorblind; they are good at distinguishing colors. Divers claim that sharks are attracted to certain colors—they find them “yummy.” yellow, this is the color of some wetsuits. While shark color preferences have not been proven, scientists do know that sharks living in a well-lit aquarium exhibit color discrimination, which humans use as cues.

Angel sharks, also known as sand devils (Squatina), burrow into piles of sand. From there they lie in wait, waiting for unsuspecting fish.