leopard sharks?

Question

Are they safe to swim with? Are they attracted to blood? For example if I had a cut, would they sense the blood and be attracted to it??

Answer 1

The leopard shark is most commonly found in sandy or muddy bays and estuaries either at or near the bottom. Of course it's attacted to blood, it's a predator, but you are too big (too much dispendio of energy), it feed primarily on benthic invertebrates and small fish. Their diet includes invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp, octopi, fat innkeeper worms (Urechis caupo), clam siphons, and fish such as midshipmen, sanddabs, shiner perch, bat rays, smoothhounds, and a variety of fish eggs.
The leopard shark poses virtually no danger to humans. The International Shark Attack File has a single report of an incident involving a human and a leopard shark. This incident did not reportedly cause any significant damage to the victim, and no bite was involved. His type of dentition is often referred to as "pavement-toothed." The pointed surfaces of the toothed ridges of the leopard shark are capable of puncturing human skin. However, there are no reports of humans being bitten by this shark.
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Answer 2

Overall if you are smart about how you swim (time of day, what you wear, where you are at, etc) just about any species of shark is ok to swim with. Not so much right next to them, more or less just in areas where they are known to be found.

If you are bleeding and in the water, no matter where you are it is always smart to get out of the water and wait until the wound is no longer bleeding. That falls into what I said above, be smart about how you swim.

With leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) there really is not much to worry about. Though they can reach about 6 feet in length a normal adult tends to stay around 50-60 inches in length. Due to their size and where they live they are more likely to run and hide rather than attack. If you ever are at an aquarium where they have a large tank with leopards where a diver enters, you will notice that unless they are being fed the leopards will always turn tail and run and hide. Even in such a place where they know they are safe, they go out of their way to avoid people.

That is not to say that it is not impossible to be bit by leopard shark, it has happened. But even then no one has ever died from a leopard shark attack.

Like I said, just be smart and safe when you swim.