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Don't panic, say shark experts
Source: Agencies |
January 15, 2009, Thursday
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A RECENT string of shark attacks across Australia has rattled swimmers' nerves, but experts say it's still relatively safe to go in the water.
"This is a mild hysteria," said Rachel Robbins, chief scientist at Australia's Rodney Fox Shark Research Foundation, named for and founded by a famed shark expert. "I think it's just a freak coincidence that we've happened to have three shark attacks" in two days.
Despite the assurances, a debate is raging over whether there are indeed more sharks in Australia's waters ?? or whether there are simply more swimmers aware of the creatures' presence.
The trouble began on December 27, when 51-year-old Brian Guest vanished while snorkeling with his son off a beach in Western Australia. A piece of his wet suit was found later, and officials said he was almost certainly eaten by a shark.
A 13-year-old surfer in Tasmania was dragged under water by a great white shark last Sunday, and a 31-year-old surfer was bitten while surfing at a remote beach in New South Wales state. Both survived. Then on Monday, Steven Fogarty was snorkeling in southern New South Wales when a shark latched on to his leg. He survived after punching the creature until it let go.
Meanwhile, several beaches across the country were closed after sharks were spotted. Officials have cautioned people to swim in groups, avoid swimming at dawn and dusk when sharks are feeding and to stick to patrolled beaches.
But despite the recent incidents, experts say there is an average of just one fatal shark attack each year.
"People need to put the risk in perspective," said John West, curator of the Australian Shark Attack File database. "Many more people die on the roads in one day in Australia than in a decade by shark attacks."
"This is a mild hysteria," said Rachel Robbins, chief scientist at Australia's Rodney Fox Shark Research Foundation, named for and founded by a famed shark expert. "I think it's just a freak coincidence that we've happened to have three shark attacks" in two days.
Despite the assurances, a debate is raging over whether there are indeed more sharks in Australia's waters ?? or whether there are simply more swimmers aware of the creatures' presence.
The trouble began on December 27, when 51-year-old Brian Guest vanished while snorkeling with his son off a beach in Western Australia. A piece of his wet suit was found later, and officials said he was almost certainly eaten by a shark.
A 13-year-old surfer in Tasmania was dragged under water by a great white shark last Sunday, and a 31-year-old surfer was bitten while surfing at a remote beach in New South Wales state. Both survived. Then on Monday, Steven Fogarty was snorkeling in southern New South Wales when a shark latched on to his leg. He survived after punching the creature until it let go.
Meanwhile, several beaches across the country were closed after sharks were spotted. Officials have cautioned people to swim in groups, avoid swimming at dawn and dusk when sharks are feeding and to stick to patrolled beaches.
But despite the recent incidents, experts say there is an average of just one fatal shark attack each year.
"People need to put the risk in perspective," said John West, curator of the Australian Shark Attack File database. "Many more people die on the roads in one day in Australia than in a decade by shark attacks."
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