Latest news with #FloridaMuseum
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How many shark attacks in Florida? What to do to reduce chances of being bitten by shark
During the summer, the primo spot for a hot and sunny day is the beach. Even with the calm nature of the beach, some might be wary of going too deep into the ocean for fear of getting bitten by a shark. The Florida Museum of Natural History puts the odds of being attacked by a shark at 1 in 11.5 million, but it's still a fear for many beachgoers. Here's what to know about shark bites on the Treasure Coast and how to stay safe when swimming at the beach. Shark bites on the Treasure Coast Since 1998, there have been 76 shark bites, two of which were fatal. There have been no reported shark bites this year, but in 2024, there was one at Bathtub Beach in Martin County. The 2024 bite was the second time Cole Taschman had been bitten by a shark — at the same beach, 11 years apart. Database: Shark bites on the Treasure Coast since 1998 How many shark attacks happened in Florida in 2024? There were 14 reported bites in Florida, a slight decrease from 16 in 2023, according to the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File 2024 report released in February. Taschman sustained a shark bite while paddling out near Bathtub Beach on Oct. 25. A seven- or eight-foot tiger or bull shark bit his feet in one bite, according to Taschman. The United States recorded the most bites, totaling 28, including one fatality in Hawaii. Reduce the odds of being bitten by a shark Here are some tips from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for reducing your odds of being bitten by a shark, even though the chances are already low: Always stay in groups, as sharks are more likely to bite a solitary individual. Do not wander too far from shore. Avoid being in the water during dark hours or twilight, when sharks are most active. Do not enter the water if bleeding from an open wound or if menstruating because a shark's ability to smell blood is acute. Wearing shiny jewelry is discouraged because light reflects off shiny jewelry, which resembles the sheen of fish scales. Avoid waters with known discharges or sewage and waters used for any type of fishing, especially if there are signs of baitfish or feeding activity. Diving seabirds, which frequently feed on baitfish, are good indicators of such activity. While there are myths and anecdotes about dolphins saving humans from shark bites, the presence of dolphins does not necessarily indicate the absence of sharks, as both often eat the same foods. Use extra caution when the waters are murky. Remember that sharks see contrast particularly well. Uneven tans and bright-colored clothing may draw a shark's attention. Refrain from excess splashing, as this may draw a shark's attention. Do not allow pets in the water as their erratic movements may draw a shark's attention. Be cautious when occupying the area between sandbars or near steep drop-offs since sharks like to hang out in these areas. Swim only in areas tended by lifeguards. Do not enter the water if sharks are known to be present, and get out of the water if sharks are sighted. Never harass a shark. Florida sea turtle nesting season: Reckless people blamed for false crawls on Vero Beach Missing mangroves: DEP issues warning letter in Sebastian mangrove case What to do if a shark starts attacking you If a shark gets near you or tries to bite you, here's what the Florida Museum of Natural History recommends: Maintain eye contact with the shark Slowly move away and exit the water if possible Hit shark in the eyes and gills since these are sensitive areas that can be hurt, regardless of your own personal strength Hit the shark on the snout and push away since water-resistance can weaken a punch Gianna Montesano is TCPalm's trending reporter. You can contact her at 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Which state has had the most shark attacks? Shark swimming safety tips
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic ‘Jaws' Movie Poster Has 1 Major Mistake
The poster from the 1975 movie Jaws is one of the most recognizable pieces of movie key art of all time—but it's not completely accurate. Fifty years ago, the blockbuster film about a great white shark terrorizing beachgoers was plugged with a drawing of a shark that was not a great white. In a video post to Instagram, New York's American Museum of Natural History curatorial associate of Ichthyology, Ryan Thoni, revealed that the huge fish on the poster bearing its sharp teeth as a woman swims above is actually a smaller and less deadly species. 'The toothy fish in question is actually based on a specimen housed here in the ichthyology collection of the American Museum of Natural History. And that specimen? Not a great white,' he said. 'It's actually a shortfin mako shark. And it's still housed in our collection today." Thoni then uncovered the museum's mako—with the famous Jaws poster clearly in the background— showing it to be a dead ringer for the movie shark. 'Back in the 1970s, the renowned artist Roger Kastel visited the museum seeking inspiration for a film poster he was working on-- Jaws,' Thoni explained. 'He took photos of the shark models, including this one made from a shortfin mako, which eventually became the key art for the now iconic movie poster.' Although fast, makos are much smaller than the great white portrayed in Jaws, and accounts of them trying to attack humans are very rare, per Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File. While doing his research, Kastel likely thought the less-fearsome mako was a great white, but he also admitted to taking some artistic liberties when first creating the drawing for the paperback version of the Peter Benchley book that inspired the movie. 'I did a very rough sketch, and [the publisher] said, 'That's great, just make the shark realistic and bigger. Make him very much bigger!'' Kastel once said, according to Deadline. Despite the discrepancy with the shark species, the poster was a success because Kastel's shark was indeed terrifying. Kastel's original 20x30-inch Jaws painting went missing after the movie came out, so it was likely stolen. In a 2014 interview with Collector's Weekly, he revealed, 'It was hanging at the Society of Illustrators in New York. It was framed because it was on a book tour, and then it went out to Hollywood for the movie. I expected it to come back, but it never did.' June 20, 2025, marked the 50th anniversary of 'Jaws' Movie Poster Has 1 Major Mistake first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 21, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
As predatory shark enters Florida surf, waders hold their ground (video)
A large shark attacked a pelican in the Florida surf recently, creating a spectacle but not generating the type of response you might except among waders. The accompanying footage, captured by Lisa McMillion at Pensacola Beach, shows what was believed to be a bull shark thrashing as it tried to pull the large bird underwater. Remarkably, only two swimmers rushed toward shore, but even they appeared to be laughing. The two women who figure most prominently in the footage were among waders who did not budge, despite the shark being only yards away. (Click here if footage doesn't appear below.) Perhaps they were unaware that bull sharks are notoriously aggressive and have been implicated in dozens of attacks on humans over the years. Or perhaps they figured the shark already had its mouth full. Surfer writes: 'Are Floridians numb to sharks? Sure seems like it, as recent footage showing a large shark just a few feet from shore, rampaging in the water, munching a pelican, and swimmers a mere few feet away…just standing there nonchalantly, and watching it all go down.' Louisiana radio station 97.3 The Dawg informed its followers: 'You can see some people rush out of the water as the shark approaches the shore, but two women closest to the shark were undeterred by this potential threat.' Nobody was attacked, but the waders' reactions might show that Floridians are, in fact, numb to the presence of sharks. Fun fact from the Florida Museum: 'Bull sharks were blamed for a series of attacks in 1916, which served inspiration for Peter Benchley's book Jaws, which Steven Spielberg turned into a blockbuster movie in 1975.'
UPI
30-06-2025
- Health
- UPI
Woman 'most likely' bitten by tiger shark swimming off New York beach
June 29 (UPI) -- A 20-year-old woman was likely bitten by a juvenile sand tiger shark while swimming in a New York beach, officials said. The unidentified woman was waste-deep in the surf at the Central Mall beachfront of Jones Beach State Park when at about 4:15 p.m. EDT Wednesday she reported being bitten by an unknown marine wildlife, the state's park, Recreation and Historic Preservation office said in a statement on Friday. Officials said the woman suffered non-life-threatening laceration injuries to her left foot and leg and was transported to Nassau County University Medical Center Hospital for treatment. As she didn't observe what exactly attacked her, an investigation ensued with biologists concluding that it was "most likely" a juvenile sand tiger shark, though "without direct observation of the animal that caused the bites a full expert consensus was not reached." Swimming resumed at the beach on Thursday, after park staff and police used drones to search the area and lifeguards scanned the water from the shore. There have been a total of 24 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks in New York state since 1837, according to the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File.
Daily Mirror
20-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Girl, 9, speaks out after shark attack left her hand 'almost completely gone'
Leah Lendel, 9, emerged from the water with her hand hanging 'by a thread' after she was attacked during a family snorkelling adventure off the coast of Florida A bave nine-year-old girl has recalled the horrific moments her wrist was bitten off during a terrifying shark attack in Florida. Little Leah Lendel had been snorkelling off the sore of Boca Grande, about 100 miles south of Tampa, with her influencer mum Nadia and her siblings on June 11. But what was supposed to be a fun family day out turned into very parent's worst nightmare when a shark brutally attacked Leah. Bystanders said an 8ft bull shark bit off Leah's hand down to the wrist. When Leah emerged from the water, she was covered in blood. Thankfully, nearby construction workers were close by and assisted by making a tourniquet out of a beach towel as the family called 911 for help. Leah's father, Jay Lendel, said on Thursday that emergency responses arrived in about three minutes. Tello and his co-workers had been on a lunch break when they heard Leah's screams. They rushed into the water, though at first they did not know she had just been attacked by a shark. Construction worker Alfonso Tello told local outlets: "When we see that little girl come out from the water with no hand, it was like something out - it gets me. Everybody was in shock. Leah was airlifted to Tampa along with her dad and underwent emergency surgery in a bid to reattach her hand. Now, Leah has spoken out for the first time about the terrifying attack. Speaking to Fox Orlando she said: ""I was just snorkeling, and then I went up to breathe, and then something hard bit me, and then it tried to tug me away." She continued, "Then I picked up my hand, and it's all in blood. Then I started screaming with my mum and then my dad was with me, he picked me up and then we ran to the road." At the press conference Leah's dad explained: "I was trying to hold myself together, I think I was crying more than she was," he added: "I'm just very greatful she's alive" Nadia added: "Leah was about three to four foot away from me, she had gone under and as she was coming up I heard this yell or scream and I saw the fling of the arm and it was almost completely gone. "There was so much blood in the water right next to me and in that instant I knew it's a shark attack, I mean I didn't expect it but I've seen documentaries before we've seen encounters, I knew you know." According to the International Shark Attack File, bull sharks are historically responsible for at least 100 unprovoked attacks on humans around the world. Of those, 27 are understood to have been fatal. The Florida Museum said: "It's large size, proclivity for freshwater, abundance and proximity to human populations, particularly in the tropics, makes it more of a potential threat than is either the White shark or the Tiger shark." Florida has regularly topped global charts for the number of shark bites. In 2024, 14 cases, none of which were fatal, were recorded in the state.
