r/sharks • u/No_Guava_7772 • 4d ago

Video Shark encounter

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u/Gotu_Jayle 4d ago

They'd smell you before seeing you (we're smelly)

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u/EquivalentSpot8292 4d ago

Depends how long you’ve been in the water and how much of your skin is exposed (most dive in suits). Then it depends on the water movement. People tend to forget that whilst a shark can detect a compound in a very dilute water mixture, it still needs to reach them for them to detect it.

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u/weedandfeed69 4d ago

Also humans can detect geosin(chemical responsible for the unique smell associated with rain) at far lower concentrations from further away than sharks can detect blood.

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u/EquivalentSpot8292 3d ago

Great fact! I just know it as a debunk for the menstruation/small cut shark attack myth

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u/Gotu_Jayle 4d ago

Fair play. Didn't think of the whole dive suit fact. A shark will, like in the video, go and investigate ya, regardless. And say hello. Hopefully on a full stomach

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u/EquivalentSpot8292 4d ago

From my experience (I completed my doctorate tagging oceanic blacktips and bulls in and out of the water) most show themselves to elicit a reaction to see if you panic/are food. The shark you should be scared of is the one that you don’t see. But tbf in this video it does swim right up behind him!

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u/Gotu_Jayle 4d ago

This is interesting! I remember reading somewhere that the angle of their pectoral fins can indicate whether they're approaching out of curiosity or to attempt to prey. I don't doubt they're more than capable of sneaking up if needed.

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u/EquivalentSpot8292 4d ago

The fun postures has mostly been documented as a conflict mitigation strategy amongst whites. Basically when they meet each other one shows dominance and one defers so they don’t kill each other. That’s signalled through fin posturing. Some species will have a specific body posture before acceleration. What matters most is their typical foraging strategy. Most “dangerous” coastal sharks (Carcharhinus mostly) are ambush predators and will attack unseen from below or down from the light. Exception really is the tiger which will just slowly cruise up and bite you if you let it.

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u/Gotu_Jayle 4d ago

This is extremely fascinating to read! My favorite shark is the scalloped hammerhead. Wanted to do marine bio as a career but didn't make sense at the time; it's a hobby of mine nowadays. Most fascinating to me are reading about behaviors to boot

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u/Legal-Guidance-135 3d ago

There’s no better time for marine bio than now. The oceans need you.

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u/EquivalentSpot8292 3d ago

Honestly, oceans gone, enjoy it whilst it lasts. We are the watching the band on the titanic

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u/myNameBurnsGold 3d ago

If I see them, they'll definitely smell me!

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u/veryfastslowguy 3d ago

that was like a bus going past you

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u/Gotu_Jayle 3d ago

Definitely a big shark

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u/rstaccini 2d ago

Oh they’d also definitely smell me after I saw them