Summer is here ladies and gentlemen, and so are the sharks. Due to the cold frigid North Atlantic Coast waters, sharks have usually strayed away from beaches in the upper U.S., but scientists have noticed a dramatic change within the past 100 years. Sharks of all species have hit the east coast waters because of the uprising temperatures, leading to more encounters with humans, with some being very deadly.
In the Summer season of 2016 alone, there have already been numerous shark sightings, the first one being off Cape Cod. According to BabwNews, the 13 foot male Great White Shark named Scratchy was tagged off Nauset Beach in Orleans, Massachusetts.
A woman and her two sons were recently walking the beaches of Providenicetown, Massachusetts when she recorded a video of a Great White Shark attacking a seal. Here is the video shot by a Adam Kossler, who was fishing on the beach at the time of the encounter.
The waters in the Cape are more shallow than most, forcing the sharks to have to swim in the same region as the people. Many beaches are taking this into consideration, but there is really no way to prevent these sea creatures from venturing towards the shore. However, there are signs that we as humans can watch out for to lower the risk of the perhaps dangerous encounter.
Scanning the area:
Where there are seals, there are sharks. With the rising population of seals, the increase of shark encounters have also sky rocketed. With seals being the main diet of the many species of sharks, this is one of the biggest risks for beachgoers. Surfers are constantly mistakes for a seal because from down below, their appearance is in the shape of a seal, leading the shark to cause an attack. Keep caution when in the water, even when in knee high because a simple scan could make a huge difference.
Temperatures:
With the constant worry about Global Warming, the temperatures of the ocean are drastically rising. Every Summer, the water is warmer and warmer, creating more attraction for the different species of sharks, causing them them to migrate to the Atlantic beaches earlier during the year, and stay longer. Keep an eye out on the weather patterns in your area, water temperature and notice the differences. With it only being June, and the numerous shark sightings already, and the temperatures only getting warmer, this says a lot about the rest of the Summer.
