Background
A Russian man was attacked and killed by a tiger shark while swimming off one of the Red Sea resorts in Egypt. It's really very tragic. His father had to watch the attack from shore and he could hear his son calling for him to help.
The Egyptian Environment Ministry says it happened near Hurghada and that they had to close off a 74-kilometer stretch of the coastline. The closure will be in place until Sunday.
The ministry has managed to catch the shark responsible for the attack and they're examining it in a lab to figure out why the attack happened.
Video
We could be swimming closer to sharks than we realize. The video of the Egyptian shark attack is truly terrifying and not for the faint of heart. The Russian man was thrashing around in the water and the shark kept circling and attacking him. Eventually, he was dragged under. Thankfully, shark attacks are rare in the Red Sea.
Precautions And Defense
Precautions to take:
- Avoid swimming at night if sharks have been spotted
- Don't go swimming if you have an open wound and are bleeding
- It's safer to swim in groups rather than alone
- Avoid excessive splashing
- Stay close to the shore
Defense:
- Hitting the shark's nose
- Hitting vulnerable spots like its gills and eyes
Why Did It Happen?
There are a few possibilities for why fatal shark attacks have happened throughout the years. Unfortunately, no one yet knows for sure why. Here are a few theories:
- The coastal regions of southern Australia and the eastern coast of the US have huge populations of people who love being in the water. These areas have also seen a rise in the number of fur seals, which happens to be the favorite meal of sharks like the Great Whites. This increase in seal numbers has attracted more sharks to the area. The sharks come looking for food and instead come across humans who, underwater, can easily be confused for seals.
- Sharks are naturally curious creatures, and being the top predators in the ocean, they fear nothing. Their mouths act as super-sensitive sensors. They may even be able to estimate the fat content of their prey. When they come across something unfamiliar (humans), they give it a little "mouth test" first. Probably trying to determine if humans are worth eating. Some believe that sharks aren't mistaking humans for seals, they are just being curious.
- Sharks may be territorial in the sense that they don't like other smaller sharks, or unknown entities, being in their favorite feeding ground.
These theories have created a lot of sympathy with pockets of the human population. So much sympathy that they wear T-shirts and other merchandise that lets everyone know that, according to them, humans are the real killers.
Resources:
Egypt shark attack: How rare are fatal maulings at Red Sea resorts? | Euronews
Egypt shark attack: Father describes how he watched tiger shark maul son to death | Daily Mail Online
Graphic Videos Show Tiger Shark's Attack on Man Swimming in Sea (newsweek.com)
Why Do Sharks Attack? | Britannica
The real reasons why sharks attack humans - BBC Future
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