Oregon surfers have been bitten 16 times.Byline: Winston Ross The Register-Guard Despite the millions of beachgoers who play in the waters of the Pacific Coast, an average of only two unprovoked shark attacks occur each year. And only a minuscule number of those are fatal, said Ralph Collier, president of the Shark Research Committee of Canoga Park, Calif. Since he started working as a field investigator for the Navy's Office of Naval Research The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), headquartered in Arlington, Virginia (Ballston), is the office within the U.S. Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S. documenting shark attacks on the West Coast, Collier has learned just how rare they are. Since 1900, researchers have documented 119 shark attacks - including Monday's incident near Gold Beach. Ten of those were fatal. From 1900 to 1950, there's only one shark attack on record for the Pacific Coast. Most of the attacks involved the great white shark great white shark or white shark Large, aggressive shark (Carcharodon carcharias, family Lamnidae), considered the species most dangerous to humans. It is found in tropical and temperate regions of all oceans and is noted for its voracious appetite. , though other sharks are found off Oregon. Mead's attack marks the 16th time a surfer has been bitten in Oregon, and all involved great whites. Such attacks are more about curiosity than territorialism ter·ri·to·ri·al·ism n. 1. A social system that gives authority and influence in a state to the landowners. 2. A system of church government based on primacy of civil power. or mistaken identity mistaken identity n → erreur f d'identité mistaken identity mistake n → Verwechslung f mistaken identity n , Collier said. "Sharks are not striking out because they think people are seals," he said, debunking de·bunk tr.v. de·bunked, de·bunk·ing, de·bunks To expose or ridicule the falseness, sham, or exaggerated claims of: debunk a supposed miracle drug. a common misconception. Sharks can see as well as humans, including colors, so they're unlikely to mistake a surfer on a board for a pinniped pinniped: see seal. pinniped Any member of the three existing families of aquatic, fin-footed mammals that constitute the suborder Pinnipedia (order Carnivora; see carnivore). . "The majority of these attacks on humans are investigation. They're not sure what the object is," he said. "That's why they're going up and taking a bite." That's also why people are likely to survive a shark attack. In most cases, sharks bite and let go, possibly repelled by the neoprene neoprene: see rubber. neoprene Any of a class of elastomers (rubberlike synthetic organic compounds of high molecular weight) made by polymerization of the monomer 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene and vulcanized (cross-linked, like rubber), by sulfur, of a wetsuit wet·suit also wet suit n. A tight-fitting permeable suit worn in cold water, as by skin divers, to retain body heat. wetsuit wet n → combinaison f de plongée or the taste of a surfboard. Even if they think the object is food, if a shark isn't particularly hungry, it may only bite once and circle back to see if the animal dies. "If I had my choice, I'd rather be in the water with a white shark than a tiger or a bull," Collier said. "White sharks are very inquisitive - they're very deadly as well, but generally speaking, if you see the shark, odds are in your favor that you're not going to get bitten. Once eye contact is made, very seldom do they ever come in." That's usually because the sharks have decided not to attack at that point. The great white, or simply "white shark," is typically born about 3 or 3 1/2 feet long and can grow to as long as 19 feet. They may be appearing in greater numbers near Oregon's river mouths now because salmon are returning there to spawn. An increased supply of another favorite food - a smelt fish called the grunion grunion: see silversides. grunion Edible Pacific fish (Leuresthes tenuis) found along the western coast of the U.S. In the warm months, it lays its eggs in beach sand during a full or new moon when the tide cycle is at its peak. , whose egg-laden females often line up in the surf zone close to beaches - also is occurring. "Generally, after they spawn, the juvenile sharks would leave," Collier said. "This year, grunions have been staying around in the shallows. Their numbers have been huge." SHARK ATTACKS Since 1990, nine shark attacks have occurred off Oregon, including Monday's at Gold Beach. In each case, surfers survived the attacks. Feb. 24, 1991: Neskowin Mar. 8, 1992: Winchester Bay Sept. 13, 1992: Gold Beach Jan. 2, 1993: Bastendorff Beach Sept. 21, 1994: Oswald West State Beach April 21, 1998: Gleneden Beach Nov. 5, 1998: Winchester Bay Sept. 23, 2002: Cape Kiwanda - www.sharkresearchcommittee.com |
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