The sun shines brightly on a crisp day in May, the boat bobs up and down, gently, on the waters off the coast Seal Island, South Africa (apexsharkdiving.com). The ocean’s gentle swaying does nothing to quail the nerves coursing through your veins. As you look over at the crew members making the last adjustments, you take deep breaths trying to calm the panic rising in you chest. “Ready?” says the Captain, clasping a hand on your shoulder and causing you to jump. Staring blankly at the frigid waters, you notice pointed fins cutting the water like knives. The wet suit, clinging to your skin, does not stop the chills that trickle down your spine. Looking at the Captain, you can do little more than nod. He seems to mock your anxiety with …show more content…
Some famous species that caused injury are the Great White shark, Tiger shark, Bull shark, Hammer head shark and Mako shark. These are not the only shark species that have caused damage, but they are some of the most frequent names involved in stories of injury or death among humans. Reasons for the frequency of these names are partially due to the contact the public has with these species, the level of aggression of some of the sharks, and the fact that just a single bite can cause significant damage by these particular specimens. The fact that many injuries are called attacks is often a mistaken title, it is not that a shark is ‘attacking’ a human, but more of checking to see what a human is (Dobson). When a shark becomes curious it will use its arsenal of detective senses. A shark has a nose that can smell for miles (according to the Encyclopaedia of Aquatic Life, a Great White can detect blood at about a 2.5 miles distance), such keen vision that they need minimal light to see, an electromagnetic sense that can detect the smallest movements of a bodies muscle, and hearing that can pick up on “sounds and long distant vibrations in the water.”(Beatty et …show more content…
It has led to new discoveries of creatures we still know so little about. Giving the common people a way to see a creature that’s feared, face to face, has opened up the minds of many. However, like many other things humans have become a part of, if man does not cherish and cautiously care for this gift we have we will ultimately lose and destroy it. Shark diving is an amazing way to open a person’s mind, but do not let your mind open ignorantly. Respect the shark and its surroundings and instances of injury or harm to you and the shark will not be a concern. Explore, takes risks and dive into a world that is wondrous, however, proceed with caution and take care to learn of the world you are
Sharks have also been subjected to medical research, games and competitions, jewellery, souvenirs and cosmetics. We need to take into consideration that sharks play a vital role in the natural world that we live in. it is imperative that we look after these majestic creatures and ensure they remain protected. We need to be aware of the dangers of sharks, swim in protected areas where there are shark nets, and do not swim after dark in the sea (especially not alone) as the sea is the sharks home. Humans should also be wearing wet suits as protection in the ocean. The sea is where they live, they swim freely and they eat – they do not particularly target humans but rather prey on food that is available to them in their habitat.
Nurse sharks were caught in the Florida Keys and transported to a facility in Sarasota, FL to carry out the experiment. The sharks were not given food 72 hours prior to the experiment and they were acclimated to the experimental temperatures (21-24C and 28-31C) for two weeks before. Individual sharks were moved to a closed respirometer 12 hours before the experiment so that they could recover from any handling stress before the trials. The trials were conducted in day and night conditions to account for the difference in behavior (more active at night). Throughout the trial, at regular intervals, dissolved oxygen and swimming speed were recorded.
Throughout the film there are many experts about the ocean and the animals that live in it. Researcher Ritter the misconception of the shark’s species is blown out of proportion by the media, which is why sharks have such an awful reputation. Experts touch up on this subject adding how even one of the biggest movies Jaws is a very large portion from where people get their fears from or it could be from all of the “shark attacks” on the news. Rob discusses how at the rate we are going we can destroy all of the food chains in the marine ecosystem, and this is where most of our oxygen comes from. Throughout the film experts Rob Stewart and Paul Watson are trying to get long lining banned in Costa Rica. Paul makes a really interesting point saying how the biggest problem is that we do not understand what we are and we are just a bunch of “conceited naked apes” that are out of
This image is what a majority of people believe to be the shark. They believe it to be the bloodthirsty sea monster that appears in countless works of literature and films, but science says otherwise. The classic picture painted by the minds of sailors returning from years at sea come from imagination and sharks’ violent methods of hunting and mating. Sharks fear humans as much as humans fear sharks, and most sharks, particularly the “man-eating” great whites, only bite humans because they mistake surfers for seals. In earlier times, the ocean was a source of mystery and adventur...
My vomit clouded the ocean surface with a purple-brown color before fading below the depths. On the other side of the vessel, I re-equipped my mask and plunged into the water to be greeted by my aunt – she was to be my snorkeling partner as she had much experience in the depths of Hawaii. When I submerged my head it was almost as if I had entered a new world. This unseen dimension housed a coral reef that vibrantly shone with a mixture of bright reds and deep blues. The reef almost seemed to pulsate as thousands of fish darted in and out of their subterranean homes. The water was thick with salt and teemed with plankton. We often resurfaced to point out fish to each other. I remember my aunt telling me of the environmental dangers of touching the still-living coral. “If you pierce its skin it will likely become infected and die, and all of the fish who live in it will die too,” she expertly explained. From then on I kept my distance to at least 5-6
Watching a movie where hundreds of swimmers on a beach are in a complete panic because of shark attacks makes a person scared to swim in an ocean, lake, or even a pond. Not only movies, but also documentaries of shark attacks stress how dangerous sharks are. In reality, are sharks really that dangerous or is it how they are portrayed? Stephen R. Palumbi who is a Professor of Biology at Stanford University and also the Director at the Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford wrote an article about other animals living in the ocean that are more dangerous to humans than sharks. In fact, he has written books about creatures in the water such as The Death and Life of Monterey Bay, and The Evolution Explosion. In addition, his son Anthony R. Palumbi is a novelist and a science writer that has written for Atlantic and other publications (Princeton University Press 1). Together they co- authored an article titled “Forget Shark Week: They aren’t the only fish in the sea” that was published the Los Angeles Times.
Distinctly unlike To the Lighthouse, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws portrays the ocean as the dangerous home of a terrifying predator, and entering the sea as a death sentence. Despite the film’s nature as a thriller film, the deaths that occur in the water hold a deeper meaning, and relations to the lives of the deceased. Chrissie Watkins, the first victim, dies drunk, while skinny dipping. The entire sequence, from the nudity to Cassidy’s “I’m coming… I’m coming” exists as a euphemism for sex, and the death of Chrissie punishes her for engaging in such behavior (Jaws). Quint’s death also reveals his true character to the audience, by reducing his life to its simplest truths. Although Quint dies fighting the killer shark, ultimately his death feels
Shark nets have been implemented in locations across the world in response to shark sightings and attacks. Nets are submerged beneath the surface of the water, roughly 200 metres from the shoreline. The meshing is designed to be large to capture sharks, leaving them to struggle before eventually drowning under the weight of their own body. The meshing allows small fish to pass through, however captures larger fish and marine species. Shark nets provide no discrimination between common, vulnerable and endangered species, resulting in a high mortality rate for a variety of marine wildlife.
Every year, there are about 100 million Sharks killed, ultimately for its commercial success. Their fins are used as the main ingredient for a dish so-called Shark soup. However, many are unaware of the actual importance of Sharks' existence on Earth. They do a number of things to control and balance aquatic life down below, which in return affects how we live on the surface. Sharks have existed in our world for over 400 million years, if they were to suddenly disappear for industrial purposes, much problems will be encountered throughout the world. We must preserve the lives of Sharks, for many reasons most importantly that shark hunting is morally wrong, it may provide economic failure in a given time, and it may serve a critical unbalance of a healthy environmental state.
Sharks have several ways to dispatch their prey with surprise attacks, agility, and camouflaged sneak attacks. The shark’s dentition also tells the story of their diet as well as their method of attack. The Great White Shark, (Carcharodon carcharias), is the largest extant predatory shark on Earth and has large serrated teeth that tear through the flesh of its prey. Their teeth are 2.5-3 inches in height and have prominent serrations which allow them to tear large chunks out of prey including large fish, seals, sea lions, other sharks, carrion, dolphins, elephant seals, stingrays, and fish [8], [13]. These sharks hunt by swimming below the intended prey item and with a sudden burst of speed; they will attack with a large single bite and then swim off to allow the prey to bleed to death. These sharks are famous for breaching the water to grab seals and sea lions around the coast of South Africa in an area called Seal Island [7]. When the seals swim farther off from the island where the water is much deeper, the shark’s rate of a successful attack increase compared to the lowered success rate in shallower waters where the seals can easily outmaneuver them [7]. The bite force of the Great White measures around 4,000 pounds and is able to bite prey in half [10]. Great Whites
said, “Every time you dive, you hope you'll see something new - some new species. Sometimes the ocean gives you a gift, sometimes it doesn't.” As you are swimming under the ocean, imagine the sparkle of the water as you look up the surface from a hundred feet below; floating along with the current, slowly and deeply breathing while observing the sea life. Continue to imagine the ability to remain underwater for an hour or more, just swimming and observing the ocean. This is the life of a scuba diver. Many people think of Scuba Diving as a swim in the water, but in reality it is a very dangerous, and potentially fatal sport and activity. There are many types of Scuba
In 2015 only 59 shark attacks have occurred around the world compared to the millions of sharks killed by humans every year. Due to these accidental shark attacks people tend to think that sharks, especially Great Whites are evil creatures with malice intentions when attacks do occur; but, on the contrary that is wrong. Sharks are not the only beautiful and unique creatures in the ocean, they also play a vital role in our ecosystem; however, due to human interference they might not be around much longer, through awareness sharks can be protected from endangerment.
Thesis: Sharks should be conserved because they are an important part of the ocean, attacks are often incidental, and human behavior influences the behavior of sharks.
I was the first to put my gear on, then I helped Uncle Bob put his gear on. Each of us had two full tanks of 3000 psi each, which was plenty for a dive, each of us brought eight-millimeter wetsuits that was perfect for the cold-water temperature. After final gear checking, Uncle Bob jumped in the water and gave a surface okay, I later jumped in. The water was cold for the first 2 minutes, then the wetsuit started to work and I was warm. We descended slowly, equalizing the pressure in our ears, because Uncle Bob was more experience he decided faster than I did. We reach the main mast at 80ft below sea level, before the dive Uncle Bob informed me that there will be shark, but I didn’t think there would be this many shark. Uncle Bob led the way down to the top deck of the ship, then we checked our air and depth. I had used 500psi out of 6000psi of my air and Uncle Bob used 1000psi of his 6000psi. Uncle Bob led his way around the ship, as I followed I noticed that the sharks began to take interest in us. As Uncle Bob and I went around the ship, he went through a hole on the bottom, as I followed him in I noticed that the ship was still mostly intact. We