PATTAYA SHARK FACTS & MYTHS
SHARK FACTS & MYTHS
DIVING IN THAILAND, A LOT OF PEOPLE MENTION SHARKS, SO I WANTED TO SET SOME SHARK FACTS STRAIGHT. THE SUBJECT OR MENTION OF DIVING WITH SHARKS, OFTEN SEEMS TO BE CAUSE FOR PANIC SINCE STEVEN SPIELBERG’S PAINTED SHARKS AS BLOOD THIRSTY MINDLESS KILLING MACHINES IN THE MOVIE JAWS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOWEVER, EXAGGERATED MYTHS ON THE SILVER SCREEN AND FACTS ABOUT SHARKS ARE PRETTY MUCH AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM AND SHARKS PLAY A VERY CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE WELLBEING OF OUR OCEANS.
SHARKS IN THAILAND
Diving with sharks in Thailand is a rare a special treat. You should understand these apex predators are NOT in fact all around you every time you go diving. in fact, it’s more unlikely to see a shark diving in Thailand than it is to encounter one these days. A Pattaya Shark Fact is that evenif you see them it only likely to be a Bamboo Shark Or a Baby Black Tip Reef Shark.
SHARKS NEED SAVING
Some countries do still have many Sharks which makes the chances of diving with sharks higher. To see and observe real Sharks in the wild such as Black tips, white tips, Hammer heads or Theses to name a few, will quickly make you see that these creatures are not a major treat to you underwater. Not everyone has the opportunity to see and experience this so those that do should help educate others about the need to protect these apex predators.
1) SHARK MYTH: SHARKS HUNT AND PURPOSELY EAT HUMANS
Shark Fact: Sharks actually find humans to be unpleasant to the palate. Attacks happen when a shark mistake people as their prey if they’re a similar size, such as when they’re hunting for seals or dolphins.
2) SHARK MYTH: SHARKS DON’T MATTER IN THE WORLD
Shark Fact: These animals play a huge important role in marine communities to help keep the balance of life in the oceans. As apex predators, many shark species keep other marine populations in check, and without them fish would overgraze and destroy sections of the ocean.
3) SHARK MYTH: SHARKS ATTACK PEOPLE FREQUENTLY
Shark Fact: You have more chance of getting struck by lightning, be killed by a cow or die from a falling coconut than be killed by a shark. Stats show that Sharks kill around 6 people per year, where humans kill up to 100 million sharks each year — proving that we’re more of a threat to them than they are to us.
4) SHARK MYTH: ALL SHARKS ARE BIG WITH SHARP TEETH
Shark Fact: Sharks come in all shapes, sizes and appearances — just like people. The White spotted Bamboo Shark, which can grow to 1meter for males and 1.2 for females, looks totally different to let’s say a whale shark that can be 12 meters long. While great white sharks have about 300 teeth, which they use to grab and cut down on prey, basking sharks have tiny teeth that they don’t even use for feeding, as they feast on plankton.
5) SHARK MYTH: NOTHING CAN HURT SHARKS
Shark Fact: Shark populations all around the world are massively impacted by Illegal and unrestricted fishing, sharks’ food sources are declining which is making Shark populations also decrease along with the demand for shark fins which is increasing. Sharks are also caught as by catch in trawl nets and long lines which doesn’t help either.
GENTLE GIANT SHARK
Check Out this rare Whale Shark Video from Pattaya showing the gentle giant known as the whale shark. A plankton feed and the largest fish in the ocean, to see one of these to truly a stunning and amazing experience. If you are not a Diver yet, Why not take the PADI Open Water Diver Course and one day you can scuba with this precious creature for yourself!
So what can you do to help these animals that are crucial to our big, blue world? Go beyond just spreading awareness that sharks aren’t out to get us, by taking part in conservation efforts with nonprofits like Project AWARE, Shark Guardian and the Whale Shark Research Project.
Just in case you’re not convinced sharks help more than they harm, check out our new post “things deadlier than Shark, including the infamous selfie stick. coming next week.
