Latest news with #ParisSciencesetLettres
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Chilling moment woman dragged underwater by huge tiger shark caught on GoPro
Spear fishers Jasmine Warneford and Sam Anderson were swimming off the coast of Red Bluff in Australia when they encountered a large tiger shark in footage caught on a GoPro A huge shark grabbed onto a woman's leg while swimming and dragged her underwater before suddenly letting go, in shocking footage caught on a GoPro. Friends Jasmine Warneford and Sam Anderson were spear fishing off the coast of Red Bluff on Australia 's west coast when a huge tiger shark suddenly approached them. Jasmine could only watch in horror as the ocean predator approached Sam and bit on to his flipper he was wearing. Then, in scenes akin to a horror movie, it grabbed a fish attached to Jasmine's float line and swam away which dragged her under water as it was still attached to a rope around her waist. The shark dragged her 10m underwater before she was able to cut herself free and swam with her friend to the surface where the pair spoke about the near miss. A still shared on Instagram showed the moment the huge beast reached out to the spearfisher with its teeth bared. Sam joked on his Facebook page: 'Code brown.' One person said: 'How scary, no way!' Another added: 'Terrifying.' Neither were hurt in the incident with the shark. It comes as a recent rise in shark attacks has been blamed on social media influencers"stroking" the predators. The animals will only lash out if provoked, including when they are poked and prodded by overenthusiastic tourists, experts claim. They shared results of research following the mauling of a swimmer in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Hadera, Israel this week. Professor Eric Clua, of Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) University in France: 'I don't encourage, as many influencers do on social networks, to cling to a shark's dorsal fin or stroke it, under the pretext of proving that they are harmless and supposedly working for their conservation.' Prof Clua suspects humans take liberties with sharks, especially smaller ones, in a way they would not with an unfamiliar dog. Speaking to The Times, he added: "People know the difference between a yorkie and a pitbull, whereas they don't know the difference between a blacktip reef shark and a bull shark, which are their marine equivalents. "There's an incredibly negative perception bias towards sharks when we see that they are responsible for fewer than ten human deaths a year worldwide, whereas dogs are responsible for more than 10,000 deaths and are perceived positively by the public." The expert believes this image around sharks owes more to blockbuster films than to marine biology. He stressed the creatures will only attack humans with fierce aggression when provoked.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
How selfie seekers are contributing to the rise in shark attacks
Image source: Alamy The pursuit of the perfect selfie has evolved beyond a harmless hobby and is now a dangerous trend in the oceans. Scientists are warning that the rising number of shark attacks can be attributed to tourists and influencers eager to capture close-up moments with these powerful predators. These reckless encounters, often driven by the desire to photograph or film, are leading to risky situations. A growing number of shark attacks are actually defensive responses by sharks, triggered by human behavior such as poking, prodding, or trying to photograph them. As the selfie craze intensifies, scientists urge people to reconsider the risks and treat these apex predators with the caution they require. How is the selfie craze leading to more shark attacks A new study published in Frontiers in Conservation reveals that many shark bites previously labelled as "attacks" are actually defensive reactions. Sharks are typically non-aggressive toward humans. They respond instinctively when they feel threatened, often after being poked, prodded, or grabbed by individuals trying to take photos or videos. Social media's role in fueling risky behaviour around sharks "People are treating sharks without any caution, in ways they would never treat a strange dog," says Professor Eric Clua of Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) University, the study's lead author. "Many influencers encourage clinging to a shark's dorsal fin or stroking them under the false idea that they are harmless. But this behaviour provokes the animal's survival instincts." Image source: Alamy What does the study reveals The study examined shark encounters in French Polynesia from 2009 to 2023. Out of 74 recorded bites, about 5% were found to be defensive, occurring immediately after humans behaved aggressively or intrusively toward the shark. Most incidents involved smaller species like grey reef sharks, lemon sharks, blacktip reef sharks, and nurse sharks. What role are influencers playing in shark-human conflicts This trend is fueled by viral social media content, where influencers and even celebrities showcase themselves swimming beside or touching sharks. Wildlife photographer Taylor Cunningham, for example, shared videos of herself touching tiger sharks, calling them "like family." Meanwhile, marine biologist Ocean Ramsey sparked controversy after being filmed swimming alongside and stroking a giant great white shark, Deep Blue. Recent examples of shark bites These seemingly awe-inspiring moments come with real consequences. Recently, a Canadian tourist lost both her hands and part of her thigh while trying to photograph a shark in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In another tragic case, Barak Tzach, a father of four, was killed by sharks while attempting to film them off the coast of Israel. Misconceptions about sharks vs. the reality of their behaviour Experts emphasise that shark bites are extremely rare compared to other risks — sharks are responsible for fewer than 10 deaths a year globally, while dogs cause over 10,000 fatalities annually. Yet sharks suffer from a strong negative public image, leading to fear and misunderstanding. "Enjoy the beauty of sharks, but remember: they are wild predators," warns Professor Clua. "Look, don't touch." What can be done to prevent future shark bites The message is clear. As the obsession with capturing sensational content grows, so does the risk, not just to humans, but to the sharks themselves. Scientists hope that by highlighting the real causes behind many of these incidents, people will rethink their approach to interacting with wildlife. In the end, the best selfie might be the one taken from a safe distance, respecting the majestic creatures we are so eager to capture.
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
Rise in shark attacks due to idiot daredevils taking selfies with the animals
Following the mauling of a swimmer in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Hadera, Israel, experts have shared results of research into the supposed rise of shark attacks A rise in shark attacks has been blamed on social media influencers "stroking" the predators. The animals will only lash out if provoked, including when they are poked and prodded by overenthusiastic tourists, experts claim. They have shared results of research following the mauling of a swimmer in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Hadera, Israel this week. "I don't encourage, as many influencers do on social networks, to cling to a shark's dorsal fin or stroke it, under the pretext of proving that they are harmless and supposedly working for their conservation," Professor Eric Clua, of Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) University in France, who led the research, said. Celebrities such as Ciara and Bella Thorne have swum with sharks. Zac Efron and Will Smith have also recently captured close encounters with sharks. Their social posts jar hugely with the tragedy in Hadera, during which the swimmer was heard screaming and begging for help. He is not alleged to have taken selfies with the shark. Prof Clua suspects humans take liberties with sharks, especially smaller ones, in a way they would not with an unfamiliar dog. He added: "People know the difference between a yorkie and a pitbull, whereas they don't know the difference between a blacktip reef shark and a bull shark, which are their marine equivalents. "There's an incredibly negative perception bias towards sharks when we see that they are responsible for fewer than ten human deaths a year worldwide, whereas dogs are responsible for more than 10,000 deaths and are perceived positively by the public." The expert believes this image around sharks owes more to blockbuster films than to marine biology. He stressed the creatures will only attack humans with fierce aggression when provoked. Videos shared online of divers manhandling sharks have become almost a genre in their own right and some accounts boast hundreds of thousands of followers. Some show divers grasping tiger shark noses as they approach. Ocean Ramsey, a Hawaii-based conservationist who runs one such account, said: "We love to share rare moments of physical connection." But Mr Ramsey's videos - especially one in which she stroked a massive great white - have been criticised by scientists. David Shiffman, a marine biologist who studies sharks, told The Washington Post: "I can't believe that 'please don't grab the 18ft-long wild predator' is something that needs to be explicitly said out loud, but here we are." And The Times reports the new study examined records of shark encounters in the waters off French Polynesia between 2009 and 2023. Of the 74 bites recorded in this period, about 5 per cent were found likely to have been defensive, happening immediately after a human action perceived by the shark as threatening. To assess the broader relevance of their findings, the team analysed a global database known as the Shark Attack Files. It holds records dating back to the 1800s, and researchers were able to identify more than 300 incidents that fit the same defensive pattern.
