Public perception of sharks is paramount to the cessation of shark finning. People are less likely to care about the conservation of a species if they are scared of it. This fear is not facetious, humans as a species have developed fear about large predators as an adaptation to protect themselves.
The problem with fear about sharks is that it is an emotional response that can override logic. Even though the chance of being attacked and killed by a shark is one in 3,748,067, the brain can’t help but fear that something is swimming behind them when they enter the ocean (Zachos, 2019).
*It is important to note that even though the risk of a shark attack is extremely rare, it can and does happen, almost always due to mistaken identity of a surfer. Fear is a natural response to predators, and should not be taken lightly; however, this work intends to explain the sensationalism of sharks in the media, and not to undermine the lived experience of shark attack survivors, witnesses, and first responders.
Most humans will not come across sharks in the ocean and tend to rely on the media’s portrayal of sharks, leaving behind a skewed assessment of risk (Sabatier & Huveneers, 2018). This fear has also been cultured by the media for years. Kids watching the film Jaws learn to fear bodily harm from sharks and can hear the theme song when they step in the ocean. The visual of a shark attack on screen is enough to make us feel scared, even if we live nowhere near an ocean. Jaws and subsequent shark-monster films portray sharks as intentional, violent, and on the lookout for humans to eat. George Burgess, shark biologist at the University of Florida, stated in 2005 that, “shark populations in the United States plunged when thousands of fishers attempted to catch trophy sharks after seeing Jaws" (Francis, 2012).
Then for years after, we are bombarded by messages from the media about violent shark attacks. We are consistently reminded of the most negative aspects of sharks-- how they are able to dominate and hurt us physically. The media is quick to tell stories of shark attacks, yet hardly ever notes the important contributions sharks have helped us with. For instance, shark immunology is currently informing research on treatments for multiple cancers and Parkinson’s disease (Bekoff, 2017).
In the media, it seems like there are only three species of sharks--the White Shark, Tiger Shark, and Bull Shark-- but the reality is that there are over 500 species of sharks, and only around 30 of these have ever bitten humans. The overwhelming majority of sharks are not potentially dangerous to humans and avoid interaction at all costs. Sharks are finicky predators, and humans do not look like their typical meals (which is usually fish, seals, sea lions, and sea turtles). They are cautious in attempting to eat something new or unfamiliar because it could injure them. Sharks' eyes are close to their mouths, giving them reason to exercise caution when finding new prey. Losing their eyesight means losing the ability to track prey, so sharks will not usually bite unless they are confident that they can catch and kill their prey quickly.
Dr. John Paxton, Principal Research Scientist in the Fish Section of the Australian Museum, explains why the media focuses on shark attacks and not other facets of the species, such as how they are currently informing scientific research or how humans are killing sharks at a far greater rate than sharks kill humans. He states in the Sydney Morning Herald, “our fear of sharks was used to sell newspapers, magazines, and television programs" (Francis, 2012).
The sensationalist fear that has been instilled in us from the media has made shark finning a difficult and questionable topic for some to support. It is easier to feel sympathy for the ever- smiling dolphin or baby turtle. There are few creatures that terrify people the way that sharks do. It doesn’t help that they have alien-like features, multiple rows of sharp teeth, and are generally only seen in aquariums or in articles about a human-shark encounter. Public perception of sharks is generally negative or fear-inducing.
Supporting an animal that you were indoctrinated to be scared of takes commitment to placing logic over fear, and understanding that while you may not want to see such an animal in the ocean, they still deserve the same protection that we do for other, more friendly-looking, less vilified animals.
The problem with fear about sharks is that it is an emotional response that can override logic. Even though the chance of being attacked and killed by a shark is one in 3,748,067, the brain can’t help but fear that something is swimming behind them when they enter the ocean (Zachos, 2019).
*It is important to note that even though the risk of a shark attack is extremely rare, it can and does happen, almost always due to mistaken identity of a surfer. Fear is a natural response to predators, and should not be taken lightly; however, this work intends to explain the sensationalism of sharks in the media, and not to undermine the lived experience of shark attack survivors, witnesses, and first responders.
Most humans will not come across sharks in the ocean and tend to rely on the media’s portrayal of sharks, leaving behind a skewed assessment of risk (Sabatier & Huveneers, 2018). This fear has also been cultured by the media for years. Kids watching the film Jaws learn to fear bodily harm from sharks and can hear the theme song when they step in the ocean. The visual of a shark attack on screen is enough to make us feel scared, even if we live nowhere near an ocean. Jaws and subsequent shark-monster films portray sharks as intentional, violent, and on the lookout for humans to eat. George Burgess, shark biologist at the University of Florida, stated in 2005 that, “shark populations in the United States plunged when thousands of fishers attempted to catch trophy sharks after seeing Jaws" (Francis, 2012).
Then for years after, we are bombarded by messages from the media about violent shark attacks. We are consistently reminded of the most negative aspects of sharks-- how they are able to dominate and hurt us physically. The media is quick to tell stories of shark attacks, yet hardly ever notes the important contributions sharks have helped us with. For instance, shark immunology is currently informing research on treatments for multiple cancers and Parkinson’s disease (Bekoff, 2017).
In the media, it seems like there are only three species of sharks--the White Shark, Tiger Shark, and Bull Shark-- but the reality is that there are over 500 species of sharks, and only around 30 of these have ever bitten humans. The overwhelming majority of sharks are not potentially dangerous to humans and avoid interaction at all costs. Sharks are finicky predators, and humans do not look like their typical meals (which is usually fish, seals, sea lions, and sea turtles). They are cautious in attempting to eat something new or unfamiliar because it could injure them. Sharks' eyes are close to their mouths, giving them reason to exercise caution when finding new prey. Losing their eyesight means losing the ability to track prey, so sharks will not usually bite unless they are confident that they can catch and kill their prey quickly.
Dr. John Paxton, Principal Research Scientist in the Fish Section of the Australian Museum, explains why the media focuses on shark attacks and not other facets of the species, such as how they are currently informing scientific research or how humans are killing sharks at a far greater rate than sharks kill humans. He states in the Sydney Morning Herald, “our fear of sharks was used to sell newspapers, magazines, and television programs" (Francis, 2012).
The sensationalist fear that has been instilled in us from the media has made shark finning a difficult and questionable topic for some to support. It is easier to feel sympathy for the ever- smiling dolphin or baby turtle. There are few creatures that terrify people the way that sharks do. It doesn’t help that they have alien-like features, multiple rows of sharp teeth, and are generally only seen in aquariums or in articles about a human-shark encounter. Public perception of sharks is generally negative or fear-inducing.
Supporting an animal that you were indoctrinated to be scared of takes commitment to placing logic over fear, and understanding that while you may not want to see such an animal in the ocean, they still deserve the same protection that we do for other, more friendly-looking, less vilified animals.