Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the water…
Researchers in southern California just completed a two-year study that used drones to analyze beachgoers actually get to the sea’s most high-profile predators.
The study, conducted by the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab, found that those who venture into the water were near sharks about 97% of the time.
That includes all manner of oceanic activities, whether it be swimming, surfing, paddle-boarding, or just wading into the water for a bit.
The good news: During the entire two years, not a single shark attack was reported in any of the areas analyzed.
“Frankly, we were shocked,” researchers said in a statement. “Sharks would interact with people every single day, multiple times a day, and they would just swim by. It was shocking that these occurrences were happening so often. And the fact that no one was being bitten smacks in the face of the misconception that if there’s a white shark nearby, you’ll be attacked. This shows that’s not the case.”
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