Shark attacks? A bum rap!

[newtoOZ]

Before I came here, I was talking to friends about how great I thought all the beaches would be, and I got lots of "but what about the sharks?" So I looked up some statistics. Do you know what country has the most shark attacks every year? The United States.

I'm assuming this carries over to my chances of being bitten by a poisonous spider or snake, right? Right?

[tygwyn]

Originally Posted by newtoOZ

Before I came here, I was talking to friends about how great I thought all the beaches would be, and I got lots of "but what about the sharks?" So I looked up some statistics. Do you know what country has the most shark attacks every year? The United States.

I'm assuming this carries over to my chances of being bitten by a poisonous spider or snake, right? Right?

Yep you got it.........watch out for the redbacks..........they'll be watching you at every corner.........just waiting to pounce

[newtoOZ]

You don't have those agressive snakes they have in Africa, do you? The ones that aren't afraid of people and don't have to be threatened to bite?

[tygwyn]

Originally Posted by newtoOZ

You don't have those agressive snakes they have in Africa, do you? The ones that aren't afraid of people and don't have to be threatened to bite?

Not sure to be honest.........if theres anything deadly though its usually in Oz!!

I saw my first redback on the shelf in Kmart - was reaching to get a chair down and there it was - scared the life out of me. Since then though I've really mellowed when it comes to creepy crawlies - you just get so used to them. I had my hand in a redbacks web the other week! Obviously I didnt know it was a redbacks web when I put my hand in it but it hi-lights the fact that the fear has gone!!

[Peterc]

Sharks will always be an issue in USA, OZ and S.A among other places. They say the highest concentration of sharks in along the Namibian Coast but the water is too cold to swim there. I recon if you swam in those waters, you would be in big trouble.

[ipom]

Originally Posted by newtoOZ

You don't have those agressive snakes they have in Africa, do you? The ones that aren't afraid of people and don't have to be threatened to bite?

The Eastern Brown is aggressive if challenged.

The thing is, all snakes are nearly blind, can't move fast and they're deaf.

So come up against a snake, and the first thing you do is freeze. If you do that, you effectively 'blend' with the background, and the snake will carry on moving away.
You just need to be snake savvy. People who challenge snakes by trying to move them with sticks, or worse, picking them up like Steve Irwin are just asking for trouble. Don't go there.

[aussieandproud]

Originally Posted by Peterc

Sharks will always be an issue in USA, OZ and S.A among other places. They say the highest concentration of sharks in along the Namibian Coast but the water is too cold to swim there. I recon if you swam in those waters, you would be in big trouble.

Sorry to change the subject but thats some pretty impressive photos you've got there Peter - did you take em?

[synthia]

The US jumps its shark attack rates by holding a major surfing tournament in Daytona Beach, Florida, during the annual shark migration. So dumb.

[Peterc]

Sorry to change the subject but thats some pretty impressive photos you've got there Peter - did you take em?

Hi there, yes , most of them are cuaght by me, some of the people on there I do not know but the majority are of me and my family.

Caught some nice sharks around the world, that is how I know about their high population on the Namibian coast.

[newtoOZ]

Well, no wonder we lead the world in shark attacks. The questions I got when I said I was moving reminded me of people I've met who thought that everyone in America carried a gun, and that they would see drive-by shootings and stuff every day in New York. Apparently they didn't get the part that the victims of drive-bys are usually innocent bystanders, and if it were really that dangerous they souldn't be visiting at all.