Why do sharks attack?
“Most attacks are probably cases of mistaken identity,” Burgess began. “They’re often perpetrated by small sharks in shallow waters.” These sharks, he said, are “too small to be going after humans,” and instead are likely “going after anything that’s moving.” In other words, if you find yourself confronting a shark dead-set on ravaging your thigh, it’s not because it actually thinks of you as a six-foot buffalo wing; rather, it’s simply confused you with its normal prey. That may not sound comforting, but it actually is; once the shark recognizes that you’re either not a fish or one with severe hormonal problems, it will stop trying to eat you. Sharks also attack for two other distinct reasons. While “mistaken identity” attacks represent the bulk of each year’s incidents, in some, more unusual attacks, it’s the human who’s making the error. “Sharks sometimes attack divers,” Burgess explained, “but that’s usually a case of humans mistaking the warning signals sharks give when their terr
