Shark numbers may be on a gradual rise
Posted Jul 10, 2014 11:52:27 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
According to recent reports, one of the most feared animals is making appearances closer and closer to our province.
The Bedford Institute of Oceanography’s Steve Campana said the numbers of great white sharks off the coast of Nova Scotia is growing a bit, but it’s nothing to panic over.
“The relative number of people who get bit by sharks of any kind is extremely low,” he said. “It’s a much lower probability than being hit by lighting, or having a coconut fall on your head.”
Campana said part of the reason we’re seeing more sharks around is simply because we have tracking technology that we didn’t have before.
“It’s quite likely that they’ve really been coming up here for many years and we just haven’t seen them.”
He said there are millions of different types of sharks swimming in our waters at any given time, and they’re simply not interested in humans.
“They’re spectacular creatures, and I think it’s natural to be afraid of them if you happen to be in the water with them. The reality is, people are inadvertently swimming with these animals in other countries, and nothing happens to them.”
