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T or F: surfing among sharks means you know them
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Get ready to play a game of true or false! Next time you get ready to go surfing, remember these things:
T or F (Answers below)
1) Sharks go after surfboards.
2) Sharks are carnivorous before they are even born.
3) If there is a porpoise around, you are safe from sharks.
4) Most shark attacks occur in nearshore waters.
5) If you live in a more densely populated area, you are less likely to fall victim to a shark attack.
1) This is a partial truth. Not all shark species would go after surfboards. Reef sharks tend to keep to reefs. But, Great Whites do look for figures from below. It tends to depend on what they commonly feed off of. The surfboard fools the shark’s eye into thinking your board is a seal, walrus, or sea lion. If you are sporting a wet suit and on a beach common to sea lion species, then you are literally a stationary target for a shark attack. Wet suits from below resemble the webbed motion of a seal. This scenario is still less likely than a surfer drowning. No worries.
2) This is true. Research has shown that many shark embryos eat one another while in the womb. They are hungry from the get-go. While they are carnivorous, cannibalistic, they are preoccupied. Great Whites have been known to eat garbage and license plates. There is a lot more to choose from in the ocean than you on your surfboard.
3) False. It is a mistake to presume safety because dolphins are friendly to humans. Porpoises are often within the same proximity as sharks because they tend to feed off of similar food sources.
4) True. Sharks often feed nearshore, or are trapped there during low tide. They also congregate at steep drop off points. Both of these locations are popular because that is where their dinner is located. In Galveston, the jetties are popular because smaller fish take shelter there. Hence, sharks pacing back and forth waiting for them to appear.
5) It is false. The old adage “safety in numbers” applies to being out on your board with other surfers in the lineup. However, it does not apply to areas of urban growth. As population grows (per capita) the more likely one is to fall victim to a shark attack.
Take time to learn more about these creatures.
For more info: visit Moody Garden's Aquarium. See their shark exhibit and view their website: http://www.moodygardens.com/.
Check out more of Shark weekend: http://www.examiner.com/x-4770-Houston-Surfing-Examiner~y2009m4d18-What-are-your-odds-of-a-shark-attack-while-surfing
Stay tuned!
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