all you really are is lunch to something… whether that’s lion, leopard, tiger, hyena, crocodile, shark, mosquito, bed bug or midge …
… as long as i can run or swim faster than you thats all that matters (to me) 
In defence of sharks may I enquire how often you’ve been in close proximity to any shark to justify that sweeping statement? As an active scubadiver for nearly 50 years, I for my part have encountered sharks of various species on numerous occasions, including those alleged to be “maneaters” such as Tiger shark, Hammerhead, Bull shark, Oceanic Whitetip and the Great White shark of “Jaws” notoriety. I’ve never been investigated by any of them, let alone attacked, and had no cage between myself and them, with the exception of the Great White. The vast majority of them can see & detect our presence but haven’t survived for hundreds of millions of years by picking a fight with strange, bubble-blowing creatures as large as human beings and in the vast majority of cases couldn’t care less about us, unless we have a few fish treats for them to snack on, then you’ll get their attention! If you don’t believe me take a look on YouTube and search for “Tiger Beach” to see what I mean.
Swimmers or snorkellers splashing about at the surface are at more risk, as has been witnessed in recent attacks, but these are the exception, not the rule. After all this is their home not ours, humans are merely temporary visitors, we should accept it as such.
zero if that was posed to me, but I’ve been around enough other things that clearly are out to eat you, I can tell many a crocodile story of being hunted whilst fishing and two people I knew very well who came very close to lunch
you are aware it was said in jest
Not my knowledge picked up from a fascinating documentary about Shark bites in Florida on TV.
Sharks don’t typically attack humans because they are humans but because they mistake them for dolphins or the like. The difference between the different species of shark DNA is as different as an Orang Utang and a bat’s DNA, so they are a very varied species.
The last gem I learnt was that the Shark predates the presence of trees on the planet.
My first post, well I thought it was interesting.
Bill
I’ll accept your word for your experience with other creatures such as lions or crocs, which I’ve also experienced on several land & boat safaris in Africa. I for one would think twice before going for a walk alone on foot out in the African savannah without an armed guide and certainly not for a swim where crocs might be present. I felt that lumping in sharks with some of the other wildlife you mentioned merited a response in defence of the important role sharks play in keeping the marine environment in balance. Heck, we divers just love it if we can manage to get to see a shark or two or more on our dives and will pay big money to ensure it! I get it that your comment was meant in jest and I take it as such. Needless to say one of my favourite pastimes is scuba diving in Indonesia, the Philippines or Malaysia to witness the beauty of their reefs, a few shark sightings not going amiss, with also getting to fly my Air 2s & Mini 3 Pro to capture some of the region’s scenery from the air as a great bonus.
Well said and congratulations on your first post!
I grew up in Africa and lived in some very remote bush locations (I had a neighbour who had a cheetah as a pet, and as a very young child ended up with a grey vervet monkey as a pet, and used to run with baboons. as long as the baboons were about, the leopard was not. when they disappeared be very worried, and have held many snakes and spiders, and the occasional scorpion and never been bitten or stung. I’ve never gone into the bush armed unless it was to hunt something to eat.
I have a healthy respect for animals. especially apex preditors. no I don’t swim in the sea, maybe it comes from swimming in lakes and rivers with mates when someone shouted “croc”, or had a close encounter with a legavaan and snakes whilst in water… fear of not knowing what is under the water.
animals like people are opportunistic… animals eat when they are hungry (unlike people)… sometimes they hunt because of movement (something that interests them)… it is not instinctive what they hunt… my cat doesn’t wake up and decide to kill birds and mice it just sees something when their paths cross that takes its interest, and is small enough to fancy it’s chances (cat not brought home a chicken, cow, tuna or salmon yet, but seems to enjoy them as pet food)
I am actually Taoist so have respect for all animals, but an understanding that people do what people do.
I don’t think your exposure to sharks is very great or frequent if you live in the UK, unless they are in a tank and are well fed, then again maybe like me you were born and grew up somewhere else like the lady below (hats off to her in all respects and nothing against the shark, it does what it does and we should not be surprised and it does not need defending),
I am sure that there are a few of the following such stories, and it is nothing against sharks, as they like all apex preditors are opportunistic, and her exposure was much greater than I’m sure most of you reading this post who are hobbyist divers and naturalists.
a bit like Steve Irwin, an occupational hazard, not the fault of any animal, or Austin Stevens (occupational hazard / frequency of occurrence not same fate as Steve)
also an interesting read, I will remain having respect for sharks and all other animals
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/factors/species-implicated/
“you do you mate!” but with the follow up “leave me to do me, thanks!”
no sharks or other animals were harmed in this post
Your response makes for an interesting read. Despite residing in the UK, these days I scuba dive rarely in this country any more, waters too chilly with poor viz, however for over 50 years I’ve made 2, 3 or some times 4 trips a year specifically to scuba dive all over the world. The Red Sea (Egypt, Israel & the Sudan), Caribbean area (Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands & Florida), Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Maldives & the coast of Kenya), Far East (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia & New Guinea), Eastern & Western Pacific ( Fiji, Palau, the Galapagos Islands, Cocos Island, Socorro Islands, and the west coasts of Costa Rica and Mexico), amassing several thousand dives and thousands of hours underwater which I think adds up to a fair amount of experience during which I’ve also encountered quite a few sharks. Indeed just as the covid pandemic broke out I was in the Bahamas for several weeks diving with Tiger, Great Hammerheads & Bull sharks, all of which have a record of attacks on human beings. My experience indicates that if one is underwater scuba diving one has little to fear, sharks haven’t survived for hundreds of millions of years by picking unneccessary fights with groups of creatures as large as divers. Swimming or snorkelling, splashing at the surface? Now that’s a different matter and the prevalence of attacks at the surface indicates that’s where one might be more vulnerable.
As drone footage on YouTube taken by “The Malibu Artist” has shown, even then neither surfers, paddle boarders, nor swimmers are first choice on the menu, but it would be wise not to be complacent and to keep an eye open for denizens of the deep wearing grey suits & possessing small steak knives for teeth, as incidents could nonetheless occasionally occur, eh?