Shark sightings and run-ins with these apex predators up and down much of the Atlantic coast was big news during the summer of 2015. Numerous attacks on vacationers visiting North Carolina beaches and numerous sightings of sharks off coastlines from Massachusetts to Florida fueled questions about certain ecological or biological changes having prompted new patterns in the number of sharks in the water.

 

Various theories have attempted to explain the mysteries of the apparent rise of shark sightings. Unfortunately, sharks' elusiveness can make them difficult to study. According to shark biologist R. Aidan Martin of ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research, the liklihood of an individual being attacked by a shark at any given time and place and the average span of time between any two attacks remains constant. Each year, between 50 and 100 shark attacks are reported across the globe. Shark clusters are more often caused by chance than anything else, says Martin.

 

Other scientists suggest increased sightings are a byproduct of more people in the water rather than an increase in the shark population. Improving financial situations afford people a greater chance for recreation and travel, and warm weather spots and waters are prime locations for vacationers. This puts sharks and people together more frequently.

 

Thanks to conservation efforts, one shark species actually may be growing in number. A study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published in 2014 in the journal PLOS ONE says the population of the great white shark has grown in the western North Atlantic. The scientists behind the study attribute the resurgence to conservation efforts, such as a 1997 act that prevented hunting of great whites. Greater availability of prey may also be contributing to higher shark populations, though the species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

 

Sharks tend to be inquisitive, though not necessarily aggressive, creatures. But because they investigate things with their mouths, which contain rows and rows of very sharp teeth, their curiosity can be threatening. Gangly legs and arms thrashing in the water can frighten a curious shark, who may snap at such limbs as a result. Other sharks may be curious about a person in the water and take a nibble to get more accurate tactile information. Based on the types of wounds human shark bite victims have received through the years, shark bites appear to be motivated by something other than feeding, as the bites on humans are different than those found on shark prey.

 

Swimmers and water enthusiasts can exercise caution to keep themselves safe when in shark territory.

If you do see a shark on the horizon, keep your distance and report the sighting to a lifeguard or another local official. 

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