It's confirmed.
According to a study carried out by researchers at Macquarie University in Australia, sharks have such poor eyesight that their attacks on surfers or swimmers are primarily confusions with their usual prey.
"From a white shark's point of view, neither movement nor shape allows an unequivocal visual distinction between pinnipeds (
semi-aquatic marine mammals with fin-shaped legs
) and humans," write the authors of the article published in Interface, a journal of the Royal Society.
They conclude that their work “supports the theory of misidentification to explain certain bites”.
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In general, "the shark will rather avoid humans", explains Johann Mourier, researcher in behavioral ecology and specialist in sharks, who analyzed their behavior by diving alongside them.
“This is not the man-eater we are describing.
Shark attacks are less than 10 deaths per year, while humans kill more than 100,000 million sharks per year, ”says the researcher.
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