GRAPHIC: A rectangle with a blue gradient as the background. On the top and bottom are white triangles grouped together to represent shark teeth. In the middle of the graphic is the words 'Shark Facts'. Graphic by The Signal reporter Teagan Findler. — Shark Week 2020 premieres on August 9 on the Discovery Channel and runs through August 16. Shark Week is highly anticipated every summer and the event is going on its 32nd year. Graphic by The Signal reporter Teagan Findler.

INFOGRAPHIC: Getting to know sharks

By Teagan Findler On Aug 4, 2020 333 0

Shark Week 2020 premieres on August 9 on the Discovery Channel and runs through August 16. Shark Week is highly anticipated every summer and the event is going on its 32nd year. This year’s program “will take viewers to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to see how the global lockdown and reduced amount of human activity on the seas gave sharks the opportunity to reclaim the oceans.”

The Discovery channel continues the partnership* with Oceana, a non-profit ocean conservation organization, in the fight to protect sharks from global shark fin trade. Shark Week is an opportunity to create content and educate fans about healthy ocean environments and sharks. Shark Week raises money to support Oceana’s campaigns and advocates for the passage of the Shark Find Sales Elimination Act of 2019.

Sharks have a history as a deadly predator because of stereotyping and media sensationalizing in movies and films. In 2019, there were only 140 cases of shark altercations with humans – provoked and unprovoked attacks. The Florida Museum of Natural History provides multiple interactive maps to show viewers where unprovoked shark attacks happen in the United States and all over the world.

As human involvement with the oceanic activity increases, shark attacks are likely to rise.

Below are tips to keep safe:

Swim in a group (sharks are known to attack lone individuals).
Do not wander far offshore (this isolates a person from getting any assistance).
Avoid water at night, dusk or dawn (sharks are more active at these times).
If bleeding, do not enter the water (sharks can sense blood and trade the source).
Do not wear shiny jewelry (reflection looks like shiny fish scales).
Do not go into waters with sewage (sewage attracts bait fishes which attracts sharks).
Do not splash a lot and keep pets out of the water (erratic behavior attracts sharks).
Be careful around sandbars and steep drop-offs (a hangout for sharks).
If you see a shark, do not touch it.
If attacked by a shark, do whatever it takes to getaway.

INFOGRAPHIC: At the top is a Merriam-Webster definition of a shark. Two shark fins graphics flank the sides of the text. Below the text are five different facts related to sharks. The last section is about sharks and oceans being threatened by hunting and climate change. Infographic by The Signal reporter Teagan Findler. — Facts about sharks. Infographic by The Signal reporter Teagan Findler.