Why do sharks attack humans?

Answer 1

Apparently they attack them thinking they are fish in distress, but no-one is sure exactly why.

Answer 2

A sharks natural prey is a seal. You may notice that the majority of shark attacks are on surfers. This is because a surfer, and even a swimmer, looks very similar to a seal when you are looking up at them from underwater.
Biting is also a sharks way of finding out whether something is good or not. You may notice that when humans are attacked, the shark leaves them alone - it doesn't come back for more. Sharks do not like the taste of human, it doesn't tickle their palette the right way. Mostly it's just a misunderstanding between a hungry and carnivorous animal and the human who is playing around in the animals ocean.

Answer 3

Sharks dont attack humans, this is a common misconception. If you look at shark attacks from our perspective, it seems that a shark is at an all you can eat seafood buffet & crosses the road to get a pizza. From a sharks perspective, looking up at a swimmer, that swimmer looks more like a seal than a human. Most shark attacks, if you look at the statistics, are more bites and chunks out of people. Yes a lot of the time these attacks are fatal, but thats only due to the fact that a shark doen't nibble the food, it gobbles it up, so it doesn't then seem to be purposefully going after humans to kill them, it is usually a mistake. So give them a break they are a wonderful creature a deserve our utmost respect and admiration.

Answer 4

Because they're hungry! (Joke). One theory is that it's a case of mistaken identity, for example, a diver in a wetsuit is mistaken by a great white for a seal, which is what great whites usually eat. They have a small taste (which is unfortunately for the diver, usually quite a serious injury), then let go when they realise their mistake. It's believed that this is the reason why most shark attacks aren't fatal, as the shark isn't actually interested in eating the person. Most fatalities are through blood loss, not from the shark eating the person.

Answer 5

Either you are in their face and ignoring the warning signs without knowing it.
Or you have been mistaken for food.

If you are in danger of dying at sea, a shark will not miss out on the opportunity. Otherwise you won't get eaten.
Still might die from your wounds if you tangle with one though.

There is a 'rogue' theory which I agree with.
Old, sick or starving sharks are occasionally responsible for a killing spree. Normally Tiger Sharks, Great Whites and Pointers. But this is extremely rare, and nothing like 'Jaws'.
More normally, Spearfishermen wrestle with 20ft Tiger Sharks for the catch. An animal that could eat you, prefers nicking your supper and gets pushed off.
More like Dogs than Tigers really.
But a 3 ton dog would do some damage, whatever mood he's in, don't you think?

Answer 6

Its very rare for sharks to attack humans the only time they do is when they mistake a human for a fish.

Answer 7

Because they think we are food, sharks attack from below the surface and when they see the silhouette of a human on the surface it can mistake it for a seal or other pray !!.

Answer 8

In many studies they have found that they attack humans when they think they are seals etc which surfers look like when a shark is looking from underneath them

Answer 9

Sharks Order Orectolobiformes kin Rhincodontidae Whale shark, Rhincodon typus Order Carcharhiniformes kin Scyliorhinidae Sponge-headed cat shark, Apristurus spongiceps kin Pseudotriakidae pretend cat shark, Pseudotriakis microdon kin Carcharhinidae Bignose shark, Carcharhinus altimus gray reef shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos Silky shark, Carcharhinus falicformes Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis Blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus Oceanic whitetip, Carcharhinus longimanus Blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus Sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier Blue shark, Prionace glauca Whitetip reef shark, Triaenodon obesus kin Sphyrnidae Scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini tender hammerhead, Sphyrna zygaena Order Lamniformes kin Odontaspididae Smalltooth sand tiger shark, Odontaspis ferox Bigeye sand tiger shark, Odontaspis noronhai kin Psedocarchariidae Crocodile shark, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai kin Megachasmidae Megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios kin Alopiidae Pelagic thresher shark, Alopias pelagicus Bigeye thresher shark, Alopias superciliosus kin Lamnidae White shark, Carcharodon carcharias short-finned mako, Isurus oxyrinchus Longfin mako, Isurus paucus Order Hexanchiformes kin Hexanchidae Frilled shark, Chlamydoselachus anguineus Bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus Order Squaliformes kin Echinorhinidae Prickly shark, Echinorhinus cookei kin Dalatiidae Combtooth dogfish, Centroscyllium nigrum Kitefin shark, Dalatias licha Blurred tender lantern shark, Etmopterus bigelowi Blackbelly lantern shark, Etmopterus lucifer tender lantern shark, Etmopterus pussilus Hawaiian lantern shark, Etmopterus villosus Pygmy shark, Euprotomicrus bispinatus Cookiecutter shark, Isistius brasiliensis Viper dogfish, Trigonognathus kabeyai Velvet dogfish, Scymnodon squamulosus kin Centrophoridae Mosaic gulper shark, Centrophorus tessellatus Gulper shark, Centrophorus sp. kin Squalidae Shortspine spurdog shark, Squalus mitsukurii those are the sharks in hawaii wish i helped :D

Answer 10

Mistaken Identity thinkin we are a seal or somthing. But you've gotta remember we're in their world then and not ours. The noises we make can attract them or the movement nd obviously the scent of blood.

Answer 11

Sharks are not very intelligent.

Sharks eat seals. They think the humans are seals.