Sharks in UAE waters are friendly

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)For most people an encounter with a shark conjures up fears of limbs bitten off or being eaten alive. But according to local experts there is no reason to fear sharks lurking off the UAE's coast.

Sharks have been at the forefront of public discussion since a huge whale shark was spotted in Dubai Marina last week.

Whale sharks which eat plankton and don't attack humans are one of the 29 different kinds of species calling the waters off Dubai home.

They include hammerhead white cheek tiger and gray reef sharks.

According to marine biologists the most common type of sharks in the Arabian Gulf are bull sharks - most of which grow to an average size of about 2.4 metres - reef sharks and black tip oceanic sharks.

Steve Kaiser vice-president of Marine Sciences and Engineering at Atlantis The Palm told the Khaleej Times that "although there are many sharks in the UAE swimmers should not fear sharks mainly as the likelihood of encountering one at the local beaches is incredibly low."

Kaiser added that despite widespread fear shark attacks on humans are extremely rare.

"There are over 500 species of sharks and only 10 of those species are considered dangerous. Even then most of the time sharks would rather swim away than be confronted by an unfamiliar object swimming amongst them" he noted.

"If you look at the statistics your chances of being attacked by a shark are one in 11.5 million."

Experts say that many shark attacks occur when sharks become confused by limited visibility in shallow areas which means that shark attacks on people are usually a case of mistaken identity. The public should also be aware that sharks are known to have a preference for fish rather than human flesh.

Additionally Kaiser said that public fears of sharks are fueled by Press accounts of shark attacks and by films with unrealistic portrayals of vicious man-eating sharks.

"The main misconceptions about sharks come from their constant negative depiction in... the press and the movies" he said.

"However that perception is changing as people's curiosity is streaming towards understanding more about these unique creatures." "As soon as people encounter a shark up close they realise that sharks are more scared of you than you are of them" he added.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) kept by the Florida Museum of Natural History in the United States in 2014 there were only 72 confirmed cases of unprovoked shark attacks on humans resulting in three deaths two in Australia and one in South Africa. That total is well below the average yearly deaths of 6.3 reported since 2005.

ISAF statistics also found that the vast majority of shark incidents took place in North American waters followed by Australia and South Africa. Not a single incident was reported in the Arabian Gulf.

Of the 2014 incidents the majority (65 per cent) involved surfers or others involved in board sports which is likely because they tend to splash and paddle in surf zones with many sharks. Swimmers and waders accounted for 32 per cent of incidents and snorkelers for 3 per cent. Not a single shark attack on a scuba diver was recorded.

Shark facts of 2014

> 72 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide

> 3 deaths

> 65% of attacks involved surfers/board sports athletes

> 32 per cent swimmers/waders

> 3 per cent snorkelers

(Source: International Shark Attack File Florida Museum of Natural History)

Bernd Debusmann Jr. Originally from Mexico City I've been in Dubai since January 2015. Before arriving in in the UAE I worked as a general news reporter in TV and print in Mexico City NYC and Washington DC. I'm interested in defence issues politics technology aviation and history. In my spare time i enjoy traveling and football - I'm a keen fan of Chelsea FC. I developed an interest in the Middle East traveling through Jordan and the West Bank. I have a BA in Political Science from Dickinson College in the USA and an MA in International Journalism from City University London.