When a married couple snorkeled near Ascension Island, in the British territory of St Helena (which is roughly 1,100 miles off the western coast of Africa), a shark made an inquisitive bite on the woman’s leg, potentially causing a dangerous injury. Luckily, her husband acted quickly to exploit the shark’s weak spot, allowing the two to escape to safer waters.
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Sharks are equipped with many powerful senses to help them find food, but despite their strong sense of smell, that have terrible senses of sight and taste. The predators can follow the scent of what they recognize as food for tremendous distances, but when they see an object that resembles food, the only way to know for sure if they should eat it is with a small bite.
Like many predators, sharks want to eat the easiest prey possible, which means their top priority is wounded animals. When a wounded animal sees a shark, they swim erratically, sending irregularly pulses and waves through the water. All along a shark’s nose and face are special sensors, known as ampullae of Lorenzini, which help detect those impulses.
Striking the nose or face of a shark is an overwhelming sensation, similar to the sensation humans feel when they bump their “funny bone.”
When the woman, known as Frankie Gonsalves by locals, was bitten by the shark, her husband sprang into action, causing the shark to release her leg. Witnesses say the shark then attempted to make a move on the husband, but those reports have not been confirmed.
Gonsalves was treated at the local Georgetown Hospital before being airlifted to the UK for further treatment. The extent of her injuries is currently unknown, as is the identity of the shark species.
Anytime an animal injures a human, it is a tragic occurrence, but it’s important to note that every year, less than ten people receive fatal bites from sharks, which usually occur in areas with a high shark population where humans often spend time in the water.
Conversely, due to the incorrect representation of sharks in the media, humans are responsible for the deaths of more than 100 million sharks every year.
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[H/T The Independent]
