Swimming with sharks? How you need to stay safe at Florida beaches
FORT LAUDERDALE — Florida saw six shark attacks injure nine people over the last month. CBS News Miami set out to find out what concerns you should have the next time you hit the beach.
CBS News Miami's Nikiya Carrero asked FIU Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Yannis Papastamatiou about sharks and the perception they are aggressive animals.
"Obviously, we have in these waters potentially dangerous species," said Yannis Papastamatiou, associate professor of biological sciences at Florida International University, when asked about the perception of sharks being aggressive animals.
"We have bull sharks, we have tiger sharks, we have white sharks. But even those animals that have a bad reputation, the chance of them actually biting someone is very, very low," he continued. "And for the most part, they're really not interested in us. If they were, we'd be seeing a lot more bites."
Florida leads the world in the number of shark bites. The Florida Museum of Natural History's Annual Shark Report listed 16 unprovoked bites last year — 44% of what was seen worldwide.
"We often see, for example, several other animals mistaken for sharks, including things like dolphins, mantas, [and] tarpons," Papastamatiou said. "That doesn't automatically make it a shark."
But on this day in Hollywood Beach, there was concern about a possible sighting. A man named Darwin told CBS News Miami he was staying on the sand. Someone nearby told him they had seen a shark.
If you find yourself bitten or threatened by a shark, experts say you punch them in the eyes or the gills, which scares them away from you. There are also things you can do to avoid a potential problem in the water:
- Avoid flashy jewelry or watches They can be mistaken for fish scales.
- Swim in groups around lifeguards.
- If you spot a school of fish, move away from them. Sharks may also be close by.
That's why experts say you should always stay vigilant in the water.
"You're far more likely to drown than you are to get bitten by a shark." Papastamatiou continued. "But you should be vigilant because, for example, if a shark is seen in the area, I think it makes sense to be cautious and perhaps not go in the water or get out of the water."
And, that's exactly what Miami Beach Ocean Rescue does when they see a predator fish of any kind in the water.
"We're always vigilant," said Jason Casanova. "We're always looking at the water, making sure that we see what we see and get everyone out."