Sharks

Sharks are a group of cartilaginous fish characterised by placoid scales, five to seven gill slits on each side of the body, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. In addition to seeing them in aquariums, there are many places where travellers can observe sharks in the wild.

There are over 500 extant species of sharks, and many more extinct ones. Despite their popular reputation as ferocious man-eating monsters, the vast majority of shark species, including the whale shark, the largest shark species, are harmless to humans. Only about 30 species have been known to attack humans unprovoked, and about 10 species are known to have caused human fatalities. For comparison, you are more likely to be struck by lightning or be killed in a car accident than to be attacked by a shark.

Nevertheless, sharks are a common threat in adventure and horror fiction, notably the Jaws franchise.

• Great Barrier Reef, Australia — Home to over 130 species of sharks. The most commonly seen species are the reef sharks that live near the coral heads and shallow lagoons. Reef sharks are rather shy around humans, so you would be lucky to spot one, and usually only for a split second before they swim away.
• Port Lincoln, Australia — Known for cage diving with great white sharks.
• Tioman, Malaysia — The reef edge at the dive site of Renggis is a reliable place to spot some blacktip reef sharks. These sharks are somewhat habituated to humans and thus often swim closer to divers than their counterparts elsewhere.
• Malapascua, Philippines — The only place in the world where divers are more or less guaranteed to see pelagic thresher sharks every day.
• Gansbaai, South Africa – Has a large population of Cape Fur seals, which in turn attract a large great white shark population. Cage diving is particularly popular here.
• Playa del Carmen, Mexico — Female bull sharks come here from November to March to give birth, during which it is popular with divers who wish to get a close-up view.
• Ningaloo Reef, Australia — Known for being a good place to spot some whale sharks.

Shark meat is eaten in many parts of the world, and goes by different names (e.g. flake in Australia). Sharksfin is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, but controversial because many fishermen cut off the fin and throw the shark back into the sea to die a slow and painful death.

As always, be sure to maintain a safe distance when viewing wild animals and do not attempt to touch them. Most shark species are harmless to humans so long as they are not provoked.

The rarity of shark attacks does not mean they cannot be fatal. Nor does the seemingly random nature of shark attacks help to allay fears about being bitten. Sharks usually attack because they think you are a seal, a turtle, a fish, or various other types of prey. Sometimes they test bite if they are curious, but sharks do not intentionally bite, attack, or kill humans.

Here are a few common sense tips to reduce the risk of encountering sharks while swimming or diving:

• Swim close to shore.
• Swim, dive or surf with other people.
• Avoid areas where there are large schools of fish, dolphins, seals or sea lions and close to bird rookeries.
• Avoid areas where animal, human or fish waste enters the water.
• Avoid deep channels or areas with deep drop-offs nearby.
• Do not remain in the water with bleeding wounds.
• Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or jetty.
• If spearing fish, don't carry dead or bleeding fish attached to you and remove all speared fish from the water as quickly as possible.
• If schooling fish or other wildlife start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, leave the water.
• If you see a shark, leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible – avoid excessive splashing or noise.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

When diving in waters where the great white shark is endemic, you may need to wear a shark shield, which keeps the sharks away by sending out electrical pulses that cause them immense discomfort.