Shark bites: the real risk

Myth Sharks are out to get people.

Fact Humans are not part of a shark’s normal diet. Wikipedia Its fearsome reputation owes a lot to the 1974 novel Jaws and the 1975 film. In reality, white sharks don’t normally prey on humans. Wikipedia

Myth Shark bites happen all the time.

Fact The International Shark Attack File confirmed 65 unprovoked shark bites worldwide in 2025, in line with its 2020–2024 average of 61 a year. ISAF It also confirmed 12 shark-related deaths in 2025, nine of them unprovoked. ISAF

Myth Sharks have to keep swimming or they die.

Fact Not all sharks have to keep swimming to breathe, but they all need water flowing over their gills. Wikipedia Whitetip reef sharks spend much of the day resting in caves. Unlike most of their relatives, they can pump water over their gills while lying still. Wikipedia

Myth Sharks are just big fish with bones.

Fact Sharks are cartilaginous fish: their skeletons are made of cartilage, not bone, and they have five to seven gill slits on each side of the head. Wikipedia

Myth Sharks can only live in the sea.

Fact Most sharks don’t live in fresh water. The bull shark and the river sharks are exceptions, and the Ganges shark lives only in fresh water. Wikipedia Bull sharks can live in salt and fresh water, and have been found up the Mississippi as far as Alton, Illinois, about 1,100 km from the sea. Wikipedia

Myth Megalodon is still out there.

Fact Megalodon was a giant shark that lived about 23 to 3.6 million years ago. It is extinct. Wikipedia

Myth All sharks are huge.

Fact The dwarf lanternshark is the smallest shark in the world, reaching a maximum known length of 20 cm (8 in). Wikipedia Cookiecutters are small: the longest recorded was 56 cm, a female. Wikipedia

Myth All sharks lay eggs.

Fact Most sharks are ovoviviparous: the eggs hatch inside the mother and the pups are born live. Wikipedia