00:00Are bullsharks really aggressive? The truth will surprise you.
00:04When we think of bullsharks, we often imagine a formidable and aggressive predator.
00:08Their reputation as one of the most dangerous species in the world is well known,
00:12but science and expert experience reveal a much more complex story.
00:17The bullshark is one of the best-known species in the ocean,
00:20and it is often associated with attacks on humans.
00:23However, its behavior may not be what we think.
00:26P.A.D.I. divemaster Kendall Traser, with a decade of experience interacting with these animals,
00:32states that, in her personal experience, bullsharks have not shown super-aggressive behavior.
00:38When she has been underwater with them, she acknowledges their potential danger,
00:42but believes their nature is not one of hostility but of intense curiosity.
00:47Unlike other species, bullsharks do not fear humans.
00:51Their curiosity leads them to approach divers to investigate them.
00:54Traser suggests that what is often interpreted as aggression
00:58is actually an interaction driven by their desire to understand what we are.
01:02Sometimes, they may give test bumps with their snout to explore, which can lead to incidents.
01:08However, Traser insists that most attacks are not intentional.
01:12Historical data shows that bullsharks are responsible for a significant number of attacks,
01:16with 157 cases analyzed over 30 years, 60 of them fatal.
01:22But there is a positive fact.
01:24The probability of surviving a bullshark attack has increased over the years,
01:28thanks to improvements in medical care.
01:30Traser even theorizes that sharks are learning.
01:33She believes they have developed the ability to give smaller test bites,
01:36and even spit out human flesh.
01:39This idea, although unproven, suggests a level of adaptive learning in these animals.
01:43One of the biggest controversies surrounding their behavior
01:47focuses on shark feeding operations for tourism.
01:50Many wonder if this makes them more aggressive or alters their natural patterns.
01:55A 2018 study by Brenna and colleagues analyzed 22 studies on this topic
01:59and found no correlation between feeding operations and unprovoked shark attacks.
02:04However, they did note that 45% of attacks in feeding areas were provoked,
02:09that is, caused by factors such as the presence of fish, blood,
02:13or the proximity of the feeders themselves.
02:16Although feeding operations can increase the shark population in an area,
02:20this does not mean they are more aggressive.
02:23They have simply learned that a specific place is a source of food.
02:26In addition, research suggests that these activities do not permanently alter their natural migratory patterns.
02:33Bullsharks, in the Western Atlantic for example,
02:35continue to migrate north in the summer and return to tropical climates as the water cools.
02:41Tracer has noticed one change.
02:43Bullsharks now associate the sound of boat engines with food,
02:46which makes them approach vessels more closely.
02:48This is not a sign of aggression, but of a learned association.
02:52Their natural behavior, however, remains the same.
02:55They are always curious and approach in any environment,
02:59whether in a feeding area or in the open ocean.
03:01Understanding bullsharks requires a change in perspective.
03:06We must prioritize empathy over fear.
03:09They are a vital part of ocean ecosystems.
03:12Without them, the food chain could collapse,
03:14putting the health of the entire ocean at risk.
03:17Protecting these often misunderstood animals is protecting the ocean itself.
03:21This must be our main priority.
03:23Money experience.
03:24Money experience.
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