To say that sharks have been out and about this year would be an understatement, especially if you are from North Carolina like me. North Carolina has had eight shark attacks in less than a month, affecting individuals from ages 8 to 68 and causing at least two amputated arms. These attacks, along with Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week have more and more people becoming fascinated by sharks.
Every year, the Discovery Channel spends an entire week on sharks. The week is full of documentary style videos focused on sharks’ attacks, habits, migrations, and more. The week is known to dominate ratings every year, further stressing society’s obsession with these beautiful creatures.
So why is society so enthralled with these creatures? Why do we carve out time every year to drop everything and watch documentary after documentary on sharks?
1. They are misunderstood.
Sharks are not scary, man-eating animals. Just like we have all felt at one point in our lives, sharks are misunderstood. They are peaceful animals just looking to survive within their own ecosystems.
2. We do not know a lot about them.
The details on how sharks interact, eat, and migrate are not common knowledge. Unless we study sharks, chances are that we barely know much about them. This leaves us to look to movies for knowledge (da nuh da nuh danuhdanuhdanuh *JAWS*) or wait for Shark Week to come around each year.
3. They are beautiful.
Their physicality, appearance, and behavior is nothing short of beautiful.
4. They scare us.
Whenever a shark is shown in a movie, it is accompanied with dark, scary music that brings negative connotations to the entire species (da nuh da nuh danuhdanuhdanuh). When most of us hear "sharks," we think of Jaws and Bethany Hamilton. These negative depictions of sharks are what scare us, but in reality, sharks are not out to get us.
5. Some can launch themselves out of the water after prey.
Some sharks can launch their entire bodies out of the water for food. This leaves their prey surprised (and dead) and onlookers shocked.
6. They live in the ocean.
Anything that can live in a place that we can’t automatically grabs our attention. They live in a world that we will never completely discover or understand, and that is fascinating.
7. They are rare.
By "rare," I mean they are an uncommon sight for most of the general population. Few people can say they have seen a shark outside of an aquarium, and most never will. Shark attacks involving humans are even more rare. You have a better chance getting struck by lighting than getting attacked by a shark.
8. There are hundreds of different species.
There are little sharks, big sharks, aggressive sharks, and chill sharks. There are over 400 different species of sharks, and each is unique.
9. They have been around forever.
Sharks were on this planet way before humans. The creatures have been around for nearly 400 million years.
10. They never stop swimming.
In order for their lungs to receive oxygen, most shark species cannot stop swimming. It is crucial to their survival. Can you imagine never sitting still or lying down to sleep at night?
Sharks are amazing creatures that deserve to be analyzed all year rather than just for one week. Nevertheless, Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week has ended, and we will now go a whole year without thinking about the large, scary, beautiful animals. That is, unless you are visiting the North Carolina coast.
