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One of the most feared predators of the sea is the shark, many species of which can strip a man to ribbons in a matter of minutes. But what prompts sharks to attack human beings, who are not their natural enemies? “The Science of Shark Attacks” is a documentary in which survivors of shark attacks share their life-and-death stories, as ichthyologists explain the attack behaviour of sharks, how to keep yourself safe in the water, and discuss attempts to cure sharks of their killer instinct.
Contrary to popular belief, only a few sharks are dangerous to humans. Out of more than 470 species, only four have been involved in a significant number of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, oceanic whitetip, tiger, and bull sharks. These sharks are large, powerful predators, and may sometimes attack and kill people. Despite being responsible for attacks on humans they have all been filmed without using a protective cage.
The perception of sharks as dangerous animals has been popularised by publicity given to a few isolated unprovoked attacks, such as the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, and through popular fictional works about shark attacks, such as the Jaws film series. Jaws author Peter Benchley, as well as Jaws director Steven Spielberg later attempted to dispel the image of sharks as man-eating monsters.
