Sharks Are Friends, Not Foes

By Alex Flagg, Brannen Haderle, Violet Mendoza and Charlie Rogers

Many people demonize sharks. But what did sharks ever do to be viewed in such a negative light? Yes, they are big, arguably scary looking creatures, yet what could they have done to receive such a cruel stereotype?

Sharks are not so interested in humans, and they lack malevolent intentions. The likelihood of shark attack, let alone a death via shark attack, is incredibly slim. It is possible for a shark attack to occur if the shark accidentally mistakes a human for a seal. This is of course not their fault; they are merely animals trying to survive, we cannot blame them for their eating habits.

Someone going to the beach in the United States has a 1 in 12 million chance of being attacked by a shark. Moreover, a person’s chance of getting killed by a shark is less than 1 in 264 million. In fact, on average, there are mere 16 shark attacks per year in the United States, with only one fatal attack every two years.

The world needs to understand that the fear of sharks is irrational and frankly unjust and unfair. People are much more likely to be killed by: cars, drug use, falling down the stairs, dogs, firearms, motorcycles, and even toasters.

People fear more what they cannot control, instead of what they can. The world should focus on driving better, taking less dangerous drugs, and not sticking knives in toasters, instead of villainizing an innocent creature. Yes, sharks are mysterious, powerful creatures that reside in the ocean, but that does not mean we need to fear them. Quite the opposite in fact, we must give sharks the respect they deserve as beautiful aquatic creatures simply trying to survive like the rest of us.