Social media influencers encouraging travellers to “stroke” sharks are behind a rise in shark attacks, according to a new study.
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation, analysed records of shark encounters in the seas around French Polynesia and found that of the 74 recorded bites, five per cent were assessed as being defensive, occurring immediately after a human interaction perceived by the shark as threatening.
In addition, the team examined a global database known as the Shark Attack Files, which holds data about such incidents dating back to the 1800s.
Researchers found that more than 300 incidents fit the same defensive pattern.
Professor Eric Clua of PSL University in France, who led the research, claimed that social media was responsible for encouraging people to interact with sharks.
“I don’t encourage, as many influencers do on social networks, [people] to cling to a shark’s dorsal fin or stroke it, under the pretext of proving that they are harmless and [those people are] supposedly working for their conservation,” he said.
“People know the difference between a [Yorkshire terrier] and a pit bull, whereas they don’t know the difference between a blacktip reef shark and a bull shark, which are their marine equivalents,” he told The Times.
“There’s an incredibly negative perception bias towards sharks … they are responsible for fewer than ten human deaths a year worldwide, whereas dogs are responsible for more than 10,000 deaths and are perceived positively by the public.”
Celebrities who have posted clips of themselves touching sharks include actor Zac Efron, singer Ciara and the actor Bella Thorne.
Elsewhere, footage of divers handling sharks has gone viral, with some participants even grasping the nose of tiger sharks – a large apex predator that can grow to over five metres in length.
Taylor Cunningham is a social media influencer who posts footage of her swimming with and touching sharks, while conservationist Ocean Ramsay says “we love to share rare moments of physical connection”.
While sharks have long had a fearful reputation, academics say such incidents tend to occur as a result of harangued sharks being poked and prodded by humans.
Professor Clua’s advice to anyone who finds themselves swimming with a shark is: “Don’t touch.”
“Just look at it. Enjoy its beauty, but remember they are wild animals, predators that can act as predators. It is not only a matter of safety but also of respect.”
