July 21, 2022 

Hi tropical ospreys! Today we took a 9-hour boat trip in Ft Lauderdale with Nova Southern University to go shark tagging! While riding on the boat, we discussed as a group the importance of sharks in an ecosystem. While these animals are in fact very important, they get a bad reputation from society. Many people will even say their biggest fear is sharks, but I believe this is due to a lack of education on the topic! So I am here to bust some myths and provide information to form a more accurate reputation for this cartilaginous fish species. 

The first misconception I will go over is the thought that they are angry and feisty at all times. Because they are always on the move, it appears that they are in a constant search for their next meal with their mouths hanging open. Although the first half of that is true, it is false that they are on a constant search for a quick bite. For some species, they always need to keep moving because it is actually how they breathe. This is known as obligate ram swimming, where water is taken in through their mouth and flushed out of their gills (https://poseidonsweb.com/how-fish-breathe-ram-ventilation-buccal-pumping/#:~:text=Obligate%20ram%2Dventilating%20sharks%20include,the%20obligate%20ram%20ventilation%20category. )  Studies and research have shown them to be very docile animals until they are provoked. Once they are provoked, they become defensive. Most times that humans have interactions with them, the shark has already been provoked. Most shark attacks are caused by provoked interactions, which leads me to my next misconception. 

It appears that people think that sharks want to eat humans because of all the shark bite that are shown in the news. This is not the case, as either the shark bit as a defense mechanism, or it perceived a human as another animal that is part of their diet. As seen in the photo below, a paddling surfer has a strong resemblance to a sea lion. Oftentimes once the shark bites, they realize it is not what they want to eat and move on. According to NOAA, they would much rather feast on fish and marine mammals and only attack humans unprovoked when they are confused or curious. In reality, humans are entering their habitats, so it is natural for them to inspect possible threats or meals. 

(https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sharkseat.html#:~:text=Most%20sharks%20are%20not%20dangerous,on%20fish%20and%20marine%20mammals.)

Seal from shark P|OV https://www.theinertia.com/surf/great-white-sharks-easily-mistake-surfers-for-seals-but-this-research-aims-to-reduce-the-risk/ 

A friend of mine that is an avid fisherman says that beach gbeachgoersoers are often surprised when he reels in a shark. He mentioned that they frequently say they did not realize that the sharks were so close to the shore because they imagined them to only be in deeper waters. This is false information because sharks can be found in both shallow and deep bodies of water, depending on the area and species. Smaller sharks have no issue being in the shallow waters, as there are fish and warm temperatures found here. Larger sharks are typically found in less shallow water because they cannot maneuver as well, but that is the neat thing about shark tagging. We are able to track where the shark has gone and if they are in shallow water or not. 

In 2021, 

11 people died from lightning, 13 people died from vending machines JUST in the US, approximately 120 people a year die from deer, and the list goes on and on. 

9 people died from shark attacks. It statistically proves that sharks have a bad reputation that they do not deserve, as there are plenty of other things to be afraid of killing you. 

Me on the shark tagging trip NOT being afraid of any sharks biting me