Shark or killer whale: which should you fear more?
Swimmers often worry about attacks from certain marine predators. But beware of the bite of a more common animal.
In nature, a human has- Is it more likely to survive an encounter with an orca or a great white shark?
— Kameryn F., Yardley, Pennsylvania
In numbers, white sharks are far more dangerous to humans than killer whales. Despite the name "killer whale", there is only one well-documented case of a wild orca attacking someone - Hans Kretschmer, who was bitten in the leg while surfing in California in 1972. white sharks, although still rare, occur quite often. a little more often; there are several hundred recorded.
So why are killer whale attacks so rare? Emma Luck, a marine mammal researcher at the University of Alaska, told me that a lot of it is simply that killer whales don't encounter humans as often. "Killer whales are found in all oceans, but they tend to be found in higher densities around cold, high-latitude regions," she wrote in a post. "These are areas where the water is not particularly attractive to the average swimmer!"
She said the 1972 orca attack was probably a case of mistaken identity, as is the case with many many shark attacks. "In an open water setting, where all parties can see each other clearly, I'd bet the shark and killer whale are going to leave you alone," she said.
In fact, you don't have to scroll through police blotters for long to confirm that not only are killer whale attacks rarer than shark attacks, but they are also rarer than cases documented of swimmers attacked and bitten by other humans. Granted, that's because there are far more humans than orcas, but that doesn't change the conclusion: in the ocean, you're more likely to be attacked and bitten by a person than by a killer whale.
What do you have in mind?If there is a scientific mystery that keeps you up at night, send it to Good Question.< /p>
Swimmers often worry about attacks from certain marine predators. But beware of the bite of a more common animal.
In nature, a human has- Is it more likely to survive an encounter with an orca or a great white shark?
— Kameryn F., Yardley, Pennsylvania
In numbers, white sharks are far more dangerous to humans than killer whales. Despite the name "killer whale", there is only one well-documented case of a wild orca attacking someone - Hans Kretschmer, who was bitten in the leg while surfing in California in 1972. white sharks, although still rare, occur quite often. a little more often; there are several hundred recorded.
So why are killer whale attacks so rare? Emma Luck, a marine mammal researcher at the University of Alaska, told me that a lot of it is simply that killer whales don't encounter humans as often. "Killer whales are found in all oceans, but they tend to be found in higher densities around cold, high-latitude regions," she wrote in a post. "These are areas where the water is not particularly attractive to the average swimmer!"
She said the 1972 orca attack was probably a case of mistaken identity, as is the case with many many shark attacks. "In an open water setting, where all parties can see each other clearly, I'd bet the shark and killer whale are going to leave you alone," she said.
In fact, you don't have to scroll through police blotters for long to confirm that not only are killer whale attacks rarer than shark attacks, but they are also rarer than cases documented of swimmers attacked and bitten by other humans. Granted, that's because there are far more humans than orcas, but that doesn't change the conclusion: in the ocean, you're more likely to be attacked and bitten by a person than by a killer whale.
What do you have in mind?If there is a scientific mystery that keeps you up at night, send it to Good Question.< /p>
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