i'm not sure you would need to be afraid of any of those sharks--
for example, the basking shark (pics 2, 19, 20) and megamouth shark (pics 4-7 i think) are both FILTER FEEDERS. it is physically impossible for them to digest a human being and they would most likely avoid objects the size of human beings whenever possible.
but -if- you were to swim into their mouths, get jammed in there somehow, and avoid whatever gag reflex they might have then, yes.... i can understand you getting scared at that point.
@smokey, yup... three of the nine species of hammerheads seem to be dangerous to humans. of those three, two are endangered... and as with most endangered animals, that's certainly due to humans.
in the last 500 years or so of human history, hammerheads are known to have attacked humans 33 TIMES IN TOTAL. furthermore, there has NEVER been a known fatal attack to a human being.
conclusion: hammerheads have far, far more to fear from humans than humans have to fear from hammerheads. thus, i stand by my original statement- i'm not sure we would need to be afraid of any of those sharks.
Comments (7):
Show all commentsfor example, the basking shark (pics 2, 19, 20) and megamouth shark (pics 4-7 i think) are both FILTER FEEDERS. it is physically impossible for them to digest a human being and they would most likely avoid objects the size of human beings whenever possible.
but -if- you were to swim into their mouths, get jammed in there somehow, and avoid whatever gag reflex they might have then, yes.... i can understand you getting scared at that point.
yup... three of the nine species of hammerheads seem to be dangerous to humans. of those three, two are endangered... and as with most endangered animals, that's certainly due to humans.
in the last 500 years or so of human history, hammerheads are known to have attacked humans 33 TIMES IN TOTAL. furthermore, there has NEVER been a known fatal attack to a human being.
conclusion: hammerheads have far, far more to fear from humans than humans have to fear from hammerheads. thus, i stand by my original statement- i'm not sure we would need to be afraid of any of those sharks.