Your Chances of a Shark Bite: Why Sharks Are Scary
Let’s set the scene: you live hundreds of miles from the ocean. You are taking a vacation to Hawai’i this summer. You’re looking forward to some time at the beach but… you’ve seen the movies: Jaws, The Meg, The Shallows. You know exactly what will happen if you put even a toe in the water.
We know what will happen if you put a toe in the water, too.
And that is a big ol’ 99 percent chance of nothing (except maybe getting water up your nose).
The Real Chance of a Shark Bite
The truth is that shark attacks— better known as shark bites— are few and far between. Now, we can say that to you all day, but it won’t give you peace of mind. You know what puts our mind at ease more than anything? Statistics!
Please note: there is a difference between shark “bites” and shark “fatalities.” One can be bitten by a shark and live. One can be bitten by a horse and live. One can see Steely Dan in concert and live. Not all experiences are the same.
9.2 million people visited the Hawaiian islands in 2022.¹ Out of the millions who visited in 2022, 7 people were bitten by a shark and 1 person suffered a fatality.²
Let’s break this down: out of 9.2 million (million!) people, only 7 were bitten. Based on these numbers, you had a 0.00000076 percent chance of being bitten by a shark in the year 2022.
On that note, you also had a 0.00000011 percent chance of dying from a shark bite in 2022. The chances of being killed by a shark last year weren’t one in a million— they were one in several million.
Why It Feels Like Shark Attacks Always Happen
Time magazine deemed the year 2001 the Summer of the Shark. Every encounter that year was covered by news stations. The public had the impression shark attacks were on the rise.
However, shark bites weren’t on the rise. George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File, said during an interview that fatalities were average for that year in the US³. But that year, even sightings of sharks made the news.
It was not a significant year for bites; it was a significant year for coverage.
And why wouldn’t a shark bite make the news? The ocean is not the environment human beings were built to survive in. We can’t see or hear well underwater, and that sets the stage for a scare. When something comes out of that pause for caution, we want to say, “Yes, this is why I was afraid!”
We want to feel justified by our fear. Being afraid doesn’t feel good, but affirming it does.
At the end of the day, sharks aren’t scary— the unknown is: not knowing what is under your feet or behind your back. It’s easy to string that to a shark.
Dealing With Fear
So how do you move past the fear? Statistics and explanations can do wonders, but facing a fear is the best way to manage it. We’re not saying go wrestle a hammerhead; simply swim in the ocean and enjoy yourself.
Here is some practical ocean safety advice to help as you face this fear:
Swim with a buddy.
Don’t swim in cloudy water at dawn or dusk.
Avoid wearing too much flashy jewelry in the water.
If a local says there’s a shark in the area, listen.
Relax! Take some deep breaths before going swimming. It’ll lower your heart rate and you won’t flinch every time you see a turtle.
Sharks don’t have to be the villains anymore. You can enjoy your Hawai’i vacation with a healthy respect for the sea instead of a healthy panic attack.
Want to read more about sharks? Check out my spec piece “5 Reasons To Love Great White Sharks.”
Citations
“December 2022 Total Visitor Count 91.5 Percent of the 2019 Level.” State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/23-03/#:~:text=For%20all%20of%202022%2C%20there%20were%201%2C674%2C208%20visitors%20to%20Hawaii,(%2B15.5%25)%20in%202019. 30 Jan. 2023. Accessed 8 May 2023.
“Incidents List.” DAR Hawai’i Sharks. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks/shark-incidents/incidents-list/. 2023. Accessed 23 Apr. 2023.
Wojtyla, Karen. and Peter Benchley. Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks & the Sea. New York, Delacorte Press, 2005.