More than 15 shark species occupy the Gulf of Mexico. Are any a threat to humans?
More than 15 shark species occupy the Gulf. Many are partial to shallow coastlines like the ones found along the Mississippi Coast, but how likely are they to attack?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the odds of a shark attack are pretty low, “only about a dozen of the more than 300 species of sharks have been involved in attacks on humans.”
Sharks are “opportunistic feeders,” according to NOAA. Their typical diet consists of crustaceans, mollusks and smaller fish. Larger sharks eat dolphins, seals, sea lions and other marine mammals.
What happens when the “opportunity” arises to feed on unsuspecting swimmers? Based on shark attack statistics, the opportunity rarely leads to attacks. Since 1879, only five shark attacks — two of them fatal — have been reported, according to Shark Attack Data.
Here are Mississippi’s recorded shark attacks
On Jan. 1, 1879, a tiger shark killed Gus Ericsson at the mouth of the Mississippi River while floating with a life buoy after the boat he was in capsized.
On July 5, 1906, a St. Stanislaus College student was killed swimming in Bay St. Louis.
On July 5, 1960, in Mississippi City, an unincorporated part of Harrison County, a shark bit 17-year-old Henry Hanson, Jr.’s leg while he was pulling a raft out to ride to shore.
On July 11, 1963, a 4-foot long shark left cuts on the right hand of James Ronald Mason, a deckhand fishing on Horn Island from the charter boat Silver Dollar.
On July 3, 1995, a hooked shark bit the leg of Cheryl Lowman as she fished on Cat Island in Harrison County.
“Sharks have been known to attack humans when they are confused or curious,” according to the NOAA. “If a shark sees a human splashing in the water, it may try to investigate, leading to an accidental attack.”
Mississippi’s shallow gulf waters make the perfect habitat for shark nurseries. The warm waters are full of smaller fish and crustaceans to feed on and fewer large predators.
Juvenile sharks are prevalent along the Mississippi and Alabama coasts around Cat, Ship, Horn, Petit Bois, Round and Dauphin islands, according to a study by Glenn Parsons and Eric Hoffmayer.
The three most common species are the Atlantic sharpnose shark, the blacktip shark and the finetooth shark.
This story was originally published July 30, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
