Downy Gallery

Rhodian Dutchman's pipe, Aristolochia guichardii, in flower in quantity in old vineyard, Rhodes, G

Great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, triangular dorsal fin at surface. Following swimmer. Increasingly, people and sharks come into contact as humans spend their leisure time in the seas and oceans. Many people fear sharks and particularly being attacked/bitten by one, but it is important to remember that these incidents are rare. Indeed, in 2017, the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), housed at the University of Florida, received reports of 88 confirmed unprovoked attacks worldwide, five of which (~6%) were tragically fatal; but this must be viewed in the light of the billions of people entering the water every year. Overall, surfers and swimmers account for about 80% of shark attack victims and, while the number of attacks has increased (possibly a reflection of an increasing human population), for the past few decades, the fatality rate has been falling through a combination of better education and advances in medical care. Mistaken identity is frequently cited by the media to explain shark attacks on humans. It is now considered far more probable, however, that such human-shark interactions are the result of a shark's curiosity. USA Pacific Ocean Coast

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