The 5 most dangerous sharks for humans (and some are also in Italian seas)

Although the great white shark is credited with the most fatalities, there is another species that could steal the crown

ROME – Ancient, fascinating and feared.Of the more than 500 shark species that swim in waters around the world, only about ten are considered potentially dangerous for the human being.Although there are many cases that are difficult to identify, those responsible for most incidents are the “big three”, i.e great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), lo tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) and the leuca (Carcharhinus leucas).But it's not a question of nature.

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These three species are of large size, they can inflict serious injuries, are commonly found in areas where humans they take a bath and they have very sharp teeth. As he explains the International Shark Attack File, in general almost all sharks of the right size, approximately 1.8 meters or more, represent a potential threat for human beings because, even they do not intend to devour us, the power of their own jaw and the morphology of their teeth can cause injury with even a single bite.

Premise done, here are the 5 sharks considered most dangerous to humans based on the number of fatal attacks register.

GREAT WHITE SHARK (total attacks 351 of which 59 fatal)

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is implicated in the greatest number of accidents with humans.There were at least 351 attacks, of which 59 were fatal.

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Great whites are a reality also in the Mediterranean.In particular, the area included in the channel of Sicily, Malta and Tunisia it's a kind of "nursery", where they reproduce. Those spotted in Sicily, in fact, they are young specimens.

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I am the largest predatory fish: they swim up to 24 km/h, weigh 2 tons and grow to a length of about 4.5 meters.However, specimens measuring up to 6 meters have also been discovered.Despite its massive size, the white shark is capable of accomplishing spectacular evolutions. The so-called “breaching”, typical behavior of cetaceans, which consists in performing jumps and stunts out of the water. At least three species of sharks are capable of this:the mako, the blacktip reef shark and, indeed, the great white shark.

TIGER SHARK (142 total attacks, of which 39 fatal)

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are named after their characteristic colour: the body is gray with dark gray spots on the sides, reminiscent of the stripes of the tiger.I am among the largest sharks and are responsible for 142 total attacks on humans, of which 39 were fatal.A high proportion, caused by theiror voracity: territorial animals, they eat everything from fish, seals, turtles, seabirds, sharks and other even waste floating in the sea. Equipped with a set of serrated teeth capable of breaking even bones, they can inflict devastating wounds to their prey.

Although they do not inhabit the Mediterranean, in recent decades a couple of specimens have been spotted in our waters.

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RED SHARK (119 total attacks, of which 26 fatal)

Unpredictable, it swims in shallow waters and can be found in freshwater streams.The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), also called zambezi shark, ranks third among fatal attacks against humans.Not to be confused with the bull shark:in the Anglo-Saxon language, in fact, the leuca is called 'bull shark'.

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Protagonist of some shark horror films, including Deep Blue 2 and 3, the leuca is not encountered in Italian seas. Unlike most other sharks, it also tolerates freshwater environments, and has often been spotted in rivers, estuaries and coastal areas. Often aggressive and unpredictable, leucas swim in the very shallow waters, wearing them often in contact with humans and therefore increasing the risk of accidents.

BLUE SHARK / GREEN SHARK (13 total attacks, of which 4 fatal)

When we talk about sharks we must remember who we are talking about always predators. Therefore also the blue shark (Prionace glauca), popularly known as greenish, although it is considered to be of little danger compared to its peers, it has been responsible for 13 accidents, 4 of which were fatal.

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Prolific in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Adriatic, it's one species at risk of extinction because of its fins, the basic dish of some oriental recipes.It is estimated that they are killed by humans at least every year up to 20 million specimens.

LONGMAN SHARK (?????)

Although officially they were registered 15 total attacks, 3 of which were fatal, it is actually believed that the shark longiman (Carcharhinus longimanus) is responsible for the highest number of fatal accidents, well above the sum of all the attacks of the other species combined.This is due to their habits 'jackals'.The longimans live in the very deep waters, where contact with human beings is very rare.However, it is known that they are the ones who have attacked survivors of shipwrecks of ships and planes and are suspected of being responsible for numerous human victims.

The longiman is, in fact, the main species implicated in related shark attacks to the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.In 1945 the American cruiser was attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine while sailing in the Philippine Sea. For 4 days the approximately 900 survivors remained at sea waiting for rescue.In the end 316 survived. The causes of death include the absence of life jackets, dehydration and shark attacks.It is believed that those responsible for these attacks they are precisely the Longimanos.