| Surfing is one of the most enjoyable water | | | | the shark, the more dangerous it is. The largest |
| sports. There is nothing more exhilarating for a | | | | sharks such as the Whale and Basking sharks are |
| surfer than to ride the biggest waves for the | | | | meek creatures that feed only on planktons as |
| longest time. However, people who want to learn | | | | food. |
| how to surf, draw back from the sports even | | | | 4. The odds of being attacks by a shark very, |
| before trying a session because of fear of sharks. | | | | very low. |
| Indeed, sharks are seen as hostile predators of | | | | Sharks rarely attack humans unless provoked, |
| the sea. They are large, strong, have saw-like | | | | making the risks of being attacked very little. In |
| teeth and are fierce looking to some. In fact, of | | | | fact, only 15% of the shark species frequent the |
| all the world's sea predators, sharks are the most | | | | shallow waters or the coast, where anyone may |
| feared. But sharks are perhaps also one of the | | | | possibly encounter them. According to the |
| most misunderstood predators. Although it is true | | | | International Shark Attack File, a persons odds of |
| that there had been victims of shark attacks, | | | | being attacked by a shark is only 1 in 11.15 million. |
| there are a lot of misconceptions about these | | | | The risk of dying is only 0 in 264.1 million. That is |
| creatures. | | | | why, in majority of shark attacks, the victim |
| If you are a surfing greenhorn, do not give up the | | | | always survives and gets to tell the tale. |
| enjoyment of surfing just because of an irrational | | | | 5. The dangers of sharks as we know are |
| fear of sharks. Here are 5 reasons why a fear of | | | | exaggerated. |
| sharks should never stop you from learning to | | | | Sharks have been adjudged to be evil creatures |
| surf. | | | | by mere bad publicity. There are more animals |
| 1. Men and Women do not form part of a shark's | | | | that cause human deaths such as flies, |
| diet. | | | | mosquitoes and bees. Perhaps to be blamed for |
| There is no such thing as a man-eating shark. Men | | | | their bad identity is the media, which most likely |
| are not staple foods of sharks. Although their diet | | | | sensationalizes every news of a shark attack. |
| comprises of meat including sea turtles, fish, seals, | | | | Other than the media, Hollywood must also take |
| sea lions and whales, humans are absolutely not | | | | part of the blame for first giving the idea about |
| on their menu. Because their system has a slow | | | | the legend of a man-eating shark as portrayed in |
| digestion process, sharks are very choosy of | | | | movies like Jaws. |
| what they eat. Other than the fact that men and | | | | Surf without fear. Leave your shark fear at shore |
| women are too bony for sharks tastes, these | | | | Surfing is a great sport, which makes the beach |
| animals prefer rich fat-content meats to maintain | | | | more special. Feeling the breeze of the wind on |
| its temperature and to give it more energy, such | | | | your face and the saltiness of the water against |
| as those coming from seals and sea lions. | | | | your skin while you sweep the waves with a |
| 2. Most cases of shark attacks involve mistaken | | | | surfing board is complete freedom. If you are a |
| identity. | | | | person interested in learning how to surf but later |
| Data reveals that 90% or more of shark attacks | | | | changed your mind because of recent news of a |
| are mistakes. From below the waters, sharks | | | | shark attack or a scary shark movie, then that is |
| sometimes erroneously identify humans as their | | | | very unfortunate. |
| common food. That is why in most incidents, | | | | Sharks should not be feared. There is no such |
| after biting a person, sharks let go of the victim. | | | | thing as a perfect creature, sharks included. |
| Another characteristic of sharks that are | | | | Sharks are part of nature's act to eliminate some |
| unknown to most people is that they are very | | | | members of certain species in order to balance |
| curious animals. Once they see something not | | | | nature. In Hawaii the locals even call these |
| common to them, they usually test bite it. The | | | | creatures "Aumakua" and they are believed to be |
| act of biting is equivalent to the human act of | | | | guardians of the sea. In fact, it is the humankind |
| feeling something with the fingers. If that | | | | who pose an unimaginably bigger threat to sharks |
| unfortunate thing is a man and woman, he can be | | | | as some of its species are already threatened |
| injured but in any event, the shark always | | | | and near extinction due to shark fishing and shark |
| retreats. | | | | fin soup. |
| 3. Only a few sharks have the potential to be | | | | Sharks have ruled the sea for hundred millions of |
| dangerous. | | | | years even before people learned to surf. The |
| It is a wrong to generalize that all sharks are | | | | ocean is big for both, for the former to roam and |
| dangerous. Out of 360 species of sharks, only 4 | | | | for the latter to surf. Now, you know that sharks |
| of these are responsible for unprovoked attacks | | | | do not relentlessly attack surfers and that sharks |
| on humans: the Great White Shark, Bull Shark, | | | | myths you know are not true, pick up that |
| Tiger Shark and Oceanic Whitetip Shark. There is | | | | surfing board now and learn to ride the waves! |
| no evidence implicating the other species in | | | | What are you waiting for? Never let irrational fear |
| unprovoked attack incidents, making the vast | | | | get in the way of surfing because you do not |
| majority of sharks harmless to humans. | | | | know what you are missing. |
| There is also no truth to the fact that the larger | | | | |